With both clubs out of finals contention, local pride were to be the lone spoils for the victor as the Gateway rivals of Wynnum Manly and Norths clashed at Bishop Park this afternoon.
Although the Seagulls finished the game with milestones to celebrate, the Norths Devils were the side closing the season on a winning high following a strong second half showing which saw the prevail 30-16.
Billy Solah would start proceedings, barging over in the ninth minute to score against his old club before Shaun Nona added the extras.
Norths then looked for space down the left side of the park for the next 10 minutes, but would find a response down the right edge when Todd Murphy sliced through quickly.
David Faamita then almost touched down in the same spot a few sets later, but couldn’t find a way to ground a Murphy grubber.
Wynnum’s failure to collect a grubber in their attacking end would hold heavier consequences when Haydan Lipp fielded the scraps of a fumble and returned it past halfway to start a set that would conclude in a Luke Pollock try in the opposite corner.
Wynnum then returned to the scene of the crime – however, this time successfully using the opportunity to send veteran fullback Daniel Ogden over for his record breaking 136th try; placing him atop the Queensland Intrust Super Cup try scoring list.
On the back of a penalty, the home side found a way to hurdle back to the lead before the half.
Murphy continued his high quality first stanza, cutting out two players to put winger Dane Chang through.
An ugly 20 minutes of footy followed the break, with neither team succeeding in their search for rhythm in the second half.
Wynnum were the team to break out of the rut, compiling multiple repeat sets and eventually finding a game-tying try through Alex Barr who managed to dive on a Nona grubber kick.
The tied scoreline was short lived though as Norths landed a long-range penalty goal to put them back in front.
That seemingly kicked them into second gear and Delouise Hoeter (71st minute) ran his way in, courtesy of another awkward kick-fielding.
Pollock then made it a double for the day, right on the final siren.
The game closed the book for 2017 on both teams, and on the tenure of coach Mark Gliddon with the Devils.
See the full scoring details and final team line-ups for this game at QRL Live
NORTHS DEVILS 30 (Luke Pollock 2, Todd Murphy, Dane Chang, Delouise Hoeter tries; Haydan Lipp 5 goals) def WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 16 (Billy Solah, Daniel Ogden, Alex Barr tries; Shaun Nona 2 goals) at Bishop Park.
