They only assembled at the Gold Coast two days before their first game, but Central Crows coach Grant Bignell said some good old fashioned ticker got his chargers across the line.
Players from as far west as Roma and as far north as Rockhampton flew south to make up the Central squad for the annual QRL State Division Carnival.
They only met as a group at Southport on Thursday night, but that didn’t stop them from taking out the silverware with two solid wins.
“We flew them in from everywhere,” Bignell, who drove four and a half hours from Miles for the carnival, told QRL.com.au.
“But we really just picked the right group of guys.
"There were no egos or any excuses ... we just didn’t stop trying.”
In torrential rain on Saturday, the Crows held South East Queensland scoreless in the second half to open their tournament with a 32-16 win.
It set up a title-deciding match against SEQ Poinsettias on Sunday, who’d beaten last year’s winners Northern Marlins the day prior.
Central started the game all guns blazing, with their little men constantly questioning the opposition.
Three unanswered tries including a solo stepping effort from South West hooker Brendan Gulke set up a 16-0 halftime lead.
Central were forced to weather a second-half comeback from the Poinsettias, who posted back-to-back tries to reduce the margin to 22-12.
But they put the result beyond doubt when Toowoomba winger Corey Blades pounced on a grubber for his second after a one-on-one steal netted a first half try.
Sunshine Coast’s Dylan McGrath then iced the match when he scored five minutes before fulltime off some short passing.
Bignell believes McGrath is a level above his local A Grade competition.
“I think he’s good enough for (Intrust Super) Cup – he’s spent some time in Canberra’s Under 20s system and he I think he can make a step up.”
The pick of the State Division Carnival will form the XXXX Queensland Rangers men’s team to take on a NSWRL Ron Massey Cup side on July 24 at Pizzey Park.
Bignell hopes his side will be rewarded at the selection table, emphasising the pathway from A Grade footy to higher representative honours for those in the region.
“It’s a big tick for the division and hopefully we see some of these guys rewarded for their performance with selection in that side.”
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