Tigers prove too classy for Capras
THE Easts Tigers maintained their second position on the ladder with a dominant 34-12 win over the CQ Capras at McIndoe Park in Emerald on Saturday.
Easts proved too classy for the Central Queensland side, with a Tommy Butterfield double and Jacob Ling’s 100th Cup game highlighting the Tigers’ victory.
Having lost their round 15 encounter 34-4, few believed the Capras could pull off an upset. Buoyed by their impressive win last weekend, the Capras started strongly with first points to winger Hughie Stanley from a Shannon Rupapere bomb.
The Central Queensland side’s lead did not last long however, with the Tigers piling on the next five tries to put the match to bed.
It started with a Shane Neumann offload to send McInally across the line, before moments later Butterfield ran almost untouched through the Capras defence to score on down the right-hand side.
Half Jacob Fauid almost did it all himself when he chipped behind the defence, where Matthew Zgrajewski took possession and handed it back to Fauid for the try as the siren for halftime sounded.
It was much the same after the break, with Zgrajewski offloading once more, this time to Butterfield, as the hooker crossed for his second try.
Soon after, Cody Walker showed why the Rabbitohs were so keen for his signature, when the talented half stopped on a dime and stepped between three defenders to cross for the Tigers’ fifth.
With the result all but in the books, Robbie Congoo dummied his way from half to score underneath the posts for the Capras.
But the Tigers were not finished, with impressive ball movement through the backline sending Neumann and Cameron Munster across the try line in quick succession to cap off the seven tries to two performance.
This Saturday, the Capras head home to Browne Park when they take on the Redcliffe Dolphins, while Easts will host the fourth-placed Tweed Heads on Sunday.
by Callum Dick
Easts Tigers v CQ Capras at McIndoe Park, Emerald on Saturday, August 9 - 5pm
EASTS TIGERS 34 (Tom Butterfield 2, Cameron Munster, Jarrod McInally, Shane Neumann, Jacob Fauid, Cody Walker tries; Jacob Fauid 2, Cody Walker goals) def CQ CAPRAS 12 (Hughie Stanley, Robbie Congoo tries; Shannon Rupapere 2 goals) at McIndoe Park, Emerald.
Final teams:
Easts Tigers
1. Cameron Munster 2. Jarrod McInally 3. Shane Neumann 4. Hymel Hunt 5. Richie Kennar 6. Jacob Fauid 7. Cody Walker 8. Steven Thorpe (c) 9. Tommy Butterfield 10. Dwayne Craft 11. Dane Hogan 12. Troy Giess 13. Jacob Ling 14. Matthew Zgrajewski 15. Liufau Hala 16. John Puna 17. Liam Tyson
CQ Capras
1. Reece Baker 2. Hayden Buckman 3. Smith Samau 4. Hughie Stanley 5. Rhys Williams 6. Guy Williams 7. Shannon Rupapere 8. Rajan Opetaia-Halls 9. Tom McKenzie 10. Matt Mizzi 11. Andrew Dale 12. Mitch Zornig 13. Gavin Hiscox (c) 22. Robbie Congoo 15. Sam Madden 16. Arlin Paki 17. Garrett Field
