At a rain soaked BMD Kougari Oval, the Sunshine Coast Falcons managed to fly higher than the Wynnum Seagulls, coming up 16-10 victors on Saturday night.
It was a much quieter ground than usually produced by Kougari, despite the smattering of a few loyal supporters willing to brave the wrath of the south-east Queensland weather.
Usual Wynnum halfback Matt Seamark would be ruled out before the game with a niggling knee injury, however the return of Bronco back Greg Eden would help consolidate the Seagull spine.
Ball control would be an obvious point of emphasis for both teams throughout the match, but the kicking game certainly became a troubling factor for both sets of halves early, with Ryley Jacks and Patrick Templeman both making errors with the boot inside the opening 10 minutes.
Points would be at a premium in the wet conditions, with both coaches sending in the signal to take penalty goals early in the game.
This decision backfired on the Falcons when their first attempt sailed wide, providing relief for a Wynnum defence that had been toiling hard to hold off an early black and gold siege.
Wynnum got their opportunity to return serve a few minutes later when Pat Hollis was responsible for an awkward drop-out attempt for the Falcons, topping the ball and sending it all of three metres, ironically after sending it 60m the drop-out prior.
Templeman added the gifted two points and Wynnum took a marginal lead after 15 minutes.
The forwards began to take control as the first half finally started to gain some shape, but it was some brilliance by the outside backs that finally breathed some beauty in the game when Falcons centre Curtis Scott received an early ball, got outside his defender and despite the weather, flicked passed an incredible ball back inside for Jacks to beat two to finish.
The second half welcomed back the rains after a momentary recession leading into halftime, and also saw the hard running of Tim Natusch who set the platform well for Wynnum early in the second.
Templeman would appear to regain his kicking radar in the second half, setting up a repeat set that would culminate into a Daniel Ogden try off a rebounded Mitch Cronin kick from dummy-half, allowing the diminutive back to join Donald Malone at second on all-time Queensland/Intrust Super Cup try scoring list at 117.
Wynnum would dominate possession early in the second half before Falcons interchange forward Jye Ballinger would turn the run of play with an intercept to put his team on the attack.
Fortune would favour the brave on that set, with five-eighth Alex Bishop following up his team-mate’s long run with an early chip kick that would only just be narrowly re-gathered by his perusing troop.
Three wide passes later, the Falcons would score their second through Victorian-native Richard Kennar to put them back in the lead.
Tumusa would have the Falcons looking dangerous again in the 64th minute, as well as after a successful 40/20 attempt in the 67th, but it wouldn’t be until a marvelous kick back infield by Jacks that found fullback Eddie Tautali on the other end that the Sunshine Coast would find pay dirt again.
A successful Hollis conversion put the game all but out of reach with nine minutes remaining and the wet grounds still causing havoc.
Wynnum flirted with the possibility of last second heroics when they Peter Gubb went in by the right corner inside the last minute, but it was too little too late for Seagulls.
The Seagulls now start a long stint away from home, starting with a date with the Bears at Burleigh next week.
See the full scoring details and final team line ups for this match via QRL Live
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS 16 (Ryley Jacks, Richard Kennar, Eddie Tautali tries; Joe Stimson, Pat Hollis goals) def WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 10 (Daniel Ogden, Peter Gubb tries; Patrick Templeman goal) at BMD Kougari Oval.
