BRL Round 18 results

FINALS WEEK ONE - September 5/6*

Qualifying Final
Wynnum Manly Redland City Seagulls (1st) v Ipswich Jets (2nd)

Elimination Finals
Easts Tigers (3rd) v West Brisbane Panthers (6th)
Redcliffe Dolphins (4th) v Gaters (5th)

*Match Times and Venues TBA

West Brisbane Panthers will play finals footy after leapfrogging Logan Brothers into the top six with a 42-30 victory on Saturday afternoon.

Heading into the game the equation for both clubs was simple; win to earn a spot in the finals.

Despite a few mid-game jitters, Wests Brisbane were the better side across the eighty minutes.

They started the season with just one win from their first eight matches but have treaded the finals tightrope on the back of a resurgent few months.

Skipper Luke Brookes said it left them in good stead when the game was on the line.

“It was just another case of one of those tight games, we knew we had to come out and put a big effort in,” he said.

The Panthers flew out of the blocks, posting the first four tries for a 22-nil lead after 25 minutes.

However, Logan Brothers fought back with four straight of their own to take a two-point lead early in the second half.

But some fortuitous kick ricochets helped West Brisbane back into the lead - one they didn’t surrender with big prop Josh Afoa icing the game.

A boisterous Brookes said the playing group was pinching themselves.

“Our first off season training session there was eight of us there and we were thinking ‘what are we going to have here?’,” he said.

“But as the year has gone on, it’s come good.

“In my time at Wests, since ’98 basically, that’s what we’ve been about… we’re willing to be in the fight.”

That fight continues in an elimination semi-final against third-placed Easts Tigers next weekend.

The Tigers upset Ipswich 40-30 with speedster Brandon Downey nabbing four tries.

Despite a 36-20 loss at the hands of Redcliffe, Wynnum Manly Redland City claimed the minor premiership and will now meet the Jets for a direct passage to the grand final.

The other elimination final will see the Dolphins face Gaters, who defeated Normanby 44-6 to secure fifth place on the ladder.

In other results, a hat-trick from livewire hooker Matti Chapman helped Valleys to a convincing 54-20 victory over Carina.

It was the last hurrah for former Easts Tigers Intrust Super Cup representatives Kev Stephensen and Isaac Kaufmann, with the pair set to hang up the boots for the final time.

ROUND 18 RESULTS

Saturday, August 29

WEST BRISBANE PANTHERS 42 (Jake Dornan 3, Jardii Nean, Luke Pollock, Sean Loxley, Josh Afoa, Jayden Lund tries; Jake Dornan 5 goals) def LOGAN BROTHERS 30 (Andrew Petaia 2, Ono So’Oialo, Trevor Exton, Wayne Kennedy tries; Ono So’Oialo 5 goals) at Civic Park, Logan Central.

GATERS 44 (Shaun Rees 2, Brendan Tailford 2, Adam Wickins, Byron Whittaker, Bobbie Goulding, Joshua Cattell tries; Kieran Turner 4, Joshua Cattell, Stephen Tunnicliffe goals) def NORMANBY HOUNDS 6 (Cameron Jackson try; Oliver Olds goal) at South Pine Sports Complex, Brendale.

EASTS TIGERS 40 (Brandon Downey 4, Sam Bielefeld, Tom Ingersole, John Puna tries; Brandon Downey 5, Mackenzie Reid goals) def IPSWICH JETS 30 (Jordan Tighe 2, Haydan Lipp, Mitch Koina, Isimeeli Hafoka tries; Haydan Lipp 5 goals) at North Ipswich Reserve.

Sunday, August 30

VALLEYS DIEHARDS 54 (Matti Chapman 3, Liam Herrington 2, Zac Sutton 2, Joel Adams, Aiona Nona, Zach Blair tries; Joel Adams 7 goals) def CARINA 20 (Jonathon Stewart, Scott Greenhill, Andy Grodynski, Sunia Hala tries; Scott Greenhill 2 goals) at Tapout Energy Stadium, Langlands Park, Stones Corner.

REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 36 (Jordan Mitchell 2, Evander Cummins, Hayden Hansen, Daniel Graham, Brenden Cousins, Ashley Harawira tries; Jordan Mitchell 3, Evander Cummins goals) def WYNNUM MANLY REDLAND CITY SEAGULLS 20 (Mitchell Lollback, David McKenna, Brad Mana, Andrew Clayton tries; Chris Green 2 goals) at Ken Hayward Oval, Deception Bay.

LADDER (after Round 18)