It was a history-making Round 5 in the Toowoomba Rugby League with two ANZAC Day clashes played in honour of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
In the first match up, the Warwick Cowboys remained undefeated with a comprehensive win over the Gatton Hawks in front of a huge crowd at Cahill Park Sporting Complex.
The Cowboys capitalised on the Hawks’ mistake-riddled first half to lead 16-4 at halftime.
Ben Sullivan was brilliant, continually turning the Gatton side around with excellent runs out of dummy half, well and truly earning his Clydesdales callup for this weekend’s 47th Battalion carnival.
Gatton just couldn’t hang onto the ball.
When they held the ball, Billy Jackwitz was excellent and is quickly becoming one of the competitions best players, but nothing was stopping the impressive win by the Cowboys who are moving along nicely on the top of the ladder.
In the second Anzac Day feature, Oakey defeated a determined Danes outfit 30-28 at Club Pittsworth.
The Bears have certainly improved this season and are a formidable outfit, asserting their dominance by leading 24-10 at halftime after a sound display from their forward pack.
It was a tale of two halves as the Danes came out of the sheds with plenty of purpose to get within two points, but Oakey were able to hang on. However, coach Mark Tookey was disappointed his side let Pittsworth back into the game.
The young Danes responded wonderfully after their previous round loss and certainly repaid their supporters attendance with a courageous effort.
Highfields scored their first win of the season with a hard-fought 14-10 contest over Dalby on Saturday night at home.
A game built on brutal defence, it was locked up at 4-4 at halftime after a scrappy affair saw both sides spill the ball throughout the contest.
Dalby were the first to break the deadlock 10 minutes after the break, and looked like they were going to go on with it, but were their worst enemy and let the Eagles back in to the game to finish at fulltime with the two points.
The recruitment of USA Hawks captain Mark Offerdahl has paid dividends for the Goondiwindi Boars, notching up their third win of the season with a 26-12 account of Brothers.
The home side accelerated to a 16-0 lead before the hard-toiling Brethren got on the scoreboard, and despite the visitors making the Boars earn the two competition points, they weren’t able to stop Goondiwindi continuing on in one of the best starts to the season in many years.
In the final match of the round, Wattles have taken the first bragging rights of the season against their old foes Valleys with an impressive win 34-18 in a quality game at Herb Steinohrt Oval.
Both sides were at full strength for the game and Valleys had Wattles on the ropes 12-4 early until Jordan Henry barged over just before the break to bring the deficit to just two points.
In the second half, Highfields halves Travis Burns and Matt Duggan showed their class and experience, controlling the second half and making it very difficult for Valleys to get into the game.
The middle was no place for the faint hearted with both forward packs ferocious in defence.
It was a complete display from the Warriors and they sit firmly at the top of the TRL ladder with Warwick.
The competition takes a break for the 47th Battalion carnival this weekend with the Clydesdales meeting the Burnett Brahmans in their first match at 12noon this Saturday at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
