Panthers, Dolphins play out top-of-table draw

The top teams in the BRL A Grade In Safe Hands Cup couldn't be split in one of two draws played out in Round 10.

West Brisbane Panthers and the Redcliffe Dolphins played out a thrilling 24-24 draw at Kev McKell Oval on Saturday afternoon, with the Panthers hanging on to top spot on the ladder as a result.
2017 minor premiers Redcliffe were looking for their fourth straight win while Wests have only lost two fixtures all season.

It was the Panthers who opened the scoring at the five-minute mark after right winger Jamie Olds scored out wide after a Kennedy Pettybourne trademark fend and offload.

Hooker's form rolls on

Panther's hooker Adam Harris, who had stunning debut for the Panthers in Round 9, was at it again. A scrum feed on the Dolphins' 10m line allowed Harris to take the pill from the back and cut straight through and stroll over to the right of the uprights.

A relatively easy conversion attempt for the competition's leading goal kicker, Kyle Van Klaveren, went wayward to leave the tally at 8-0 in favour of the Panthers after 22 minutes.

It took the visitors 32 minutes to post their first points and it came the way of their long passing game.
Two passes starting from the right edge, 10m in from touch, found Corban Daniels who skipped to the tryline and scored in the left corner.

Hope so good

The form of Redcliffe hooker Tristan Hope has seen him named in the Queensland Rangers side, and that form turned up again in the three minutes after the break.

Hope was in the right spot to receive a ball inside from benchman Brett Anderson who had made a break down the right side. Hopes' touchdown under the crossbar made for an easy conversion putting Redcliffe in front for the first time.

Five minutes later, a Trai Fuller inside kick led to Tristan Hope again putting downward pressure on the ball to score his second and stretch the lead to 10.

All locked up

Panthers right centre Kennedy Pettyboune had to bring out the dustpan and brush to tidy up some dirty passes on the Dolphins' 20m, but he managed to stay clean as he went over untouched with 16 minutes remaining.

Two minutes later a Kane Zalewski chip kick was regathered by Pettybourne who sent Harris over for his second. Zalewski's conversion locked it up at 18-18 with 12 minutes left on the clock.

The game was not out of twists, though, as Redcliffe left centre Manaia Rudolph simply stepped off his left foot close to the line to go through a tiring Panthers' defence to regain the lead with nine remaining.

Hat-trick levels

Panthers man of the month Adam Harris would again stamp his name over this contest as he darted from dummy half to score his third try and level the scores again with three minutes left to play.

A break in the last minute by Redcliffe's Tristan Hope gave fullback Trai Fuller an opportunity to land a field goal from 30m out, but the attempt sailed to the right, leaving the scores level at fulltime.

Other results

At BMD Kougari Oval, the Seagulls and Diehards recorded an 18-18 draw - the second draw in two meetings between the clubs this year - while the Easts Tigers ran in 10 converted tries to thrash Souths 60-4.

BRL A Grade In Safe Hands Cup Round 10 results

Panthers 24 (Adam Harris 3, Kennedy Pettyborne, James Olds tries; Kane Zalewski 2 goals) drew with Dolphins 24 (Tristan Hope 2, Corban Daniels, Manaia Rudolph tries; Reece Braun 3, Manaia Rudolph goals)

Tigers 60 (Jack Anderson 3, Josh Ralph 2, Brett Kelly 2, Brandon Downey, Andrew Thompson, Heath Wilson tries; Brayden Torpy 10 goals) def Magpies 4 (Sato Ketia-Opo try)

Seagulls 18 (Mitch McMillan, Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard, Jacob Paulo tries; Mitch Forrest 3 goals) drew with Diehards 18 (Tom Collins, Regan Glynn, Patrick Akauola, Jacob Kelly tries; Brett Doherty goal)

* John Devine is a QRL correspondent covering the BRL A Grade In Safe Hands Cup