THE Intrust Super Cup minor premiership is in touching distance for the Northern Pride after they flogged the Souths Logan Magpies 42-0 in Yarrabah yesterday.
The victory means the ladder-leading Pride can ensure they finish top of the table by beating the Burleigh Bears in their next match at Barlow Park on August 18.
It would take a brave punter to back against the Pride in their current form after the Cairns-based club ran in eight tries to none against the Magpies.
A large and enthusiastic crowd turned out to watch the Country Week fixture at Jilara Oval and they didnt leave disappointed.
Despite running into a stiff breeze in the first half, the Pride enjoyed better field position than their Brisbane rivals and led 10-0 at the break courtesy of tries from captain Ty Williams and interchange utility Ryan Ghietti.
The Magpies, who were sitting two points outside the top five before the game, had plenty to play for but were outmuscled and outclassed by the Pride in the second half.
Second-rower Ethan Lowe barged over to score only minutes after the restart following a Magpies error before a quick shift left allowed winger Semi Tadulala to cross in the corner.
The floodgates had opened by this stage and the Magpies beleaguered goal-line defence became nothing more than a speed bump for the Pride, who soon stretched their lead to 32- 0 when forwards Davin Crampton and Blake Leary crossed in quick succession.
Playing in front of his home fans, Pride fullback Hezron Murgha made the score sheet before setting up a try on full-time for centre Brett Anderson after regathering a short kick in the middle of the field.
Pride coach Jason Demetriou said his teams early dominance in the forwards reaped dividends.
We needed to break them down physically in the middle of the field and we knew in the second half we would post some points, he said.
The wind was pretty strong as well against us in the first half, so we knew in the second half we could play a bit more free-flowing rugby (league) and thats what we did.
I thought we scored some really good tries today, but defensively to keep any team to nil is a big achievement, especially a team thats desperate to get in the play-offs.
Off the field, Demetriou said the game was an enormous success.
Its been unreal. All the people in Yarrabah have really embraced this, he said.
Ive seen more Pride T-shirts, jerseys, shorts and all that type of stuff here than I do at Barlow Park.
A big thank you to the Yarrabah public, and it was great to see Hezzy score a try as well and give them some reward for getting down here in numbers.
NORTHERN PRIDE 42 (Hezron Murgha, Ty Williams, Brett Anderson, Semi Tadulala, Ethan Lowe, Blake Leary, Ryan Ghietti, Davin Crampton tries; Shaun Nona 5 goals) def SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 0 at Jilara Oval, Yarrabah.
The victory means the ladder-leading Pride can ensure they finish top of the table by beating the Burleigh Bears in their next match at Barlow Park on August 18.
It would take a brave punter to back against the Pride in their current form after the Cairns-based club ran in eight tries to none against the Magpies.
A large and enthusiastic crowd turned out to watch the Country Week fixture at Jilara Oval and they didnt leave disappointed.
Despite running into a stiff breeze in the first half, the Pride enjoyed better field position than their Brisbane rivals and led 10-0 at the break courtesy of tries from captain Ty Williams and interchange utility Ryan Ghietti.
The Magpies, who were sitting two points outside the top five before the game, had plenty to play for but were outmuscled and outclassed by the Pride in the second half.
Second-rower Ethan Lowe barged over to score only minutes after the restart following a Magpies error before a quick shift left allowed winger Semi Tadulala to cross in the corner.
The floodgates had opened by this stage and the Magpies beleaguered goal-line defence became nothing more than a speed bump for the Pride, who soon stretched their lead to 32- 0 when forwards Davin Crampton and Blake Leary crossed in quick succession.
Playing in front of his home fans, Pride fullback Hezron Murgha made the score sheet before setting up a try on full-time for centre Brett Anderson after regathering a short kick in the middle of the field.
Pride coach Jason Demetriou said his teams early dominance in the forwards reaped dividends.
We needed to break them down physically in the middle of the field and we knew in the second half we would post some points, he said.
The wind was pretty strong as well against us in the first half, so we knew in the second half we could play a bit more free-flowing rugby (league) and thats what we did.
I thought we scored some really good tries today, but defensively to keep any team to nil is a big achievement, especially a team thats desperate to get in the play-offs.
Off the field, Demetriou said the game was an enormous success.
Its been unreal. All the people in Yarrabah have really embraced this, he said.
Ive seen more Pride T-shirts, jerseys, shorts and all that type of stuff here than I do at Barlow Park.
A big thank you to the Yarrabah public, and it was great to see Hezzy score a try as well and give them some reward for getting down here in numbers.
NORTHERN PRIDE 42 (Hezron Murgha, Ty Williams, Brett Anderson, Semi Tadulala, Ethan Lowe, Blake Leary, Ryan Ghietti, Davin Crampton tries; Shaun Nona 5 goals) def SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 0 at Jilara Oval, Yarrabah.
