Finals Week 3 preview: Do-or-die preliminary finals arrive

The two heavyweights of the competition will collide with plenty of feeling. 

These two teams clashed hard in April and in a high-scoring game and one the Blackhawks won 38-24. Of course, their last meeting last year was an extra time  epic that saw Max Plath nail a field goal to win the premiership 17-16.

It was Plath again last week driving a final dagger in the heart of Tweed Seagulls who produced a thrilling upset in the first week of the finals to progress to face their feathered rivals.

Wynnum Manly won 34-12 and Plath scored two tries and kicked four goals in a Hastings Deering Colts Heavy lifter winning performance.

Plath wasn’t alone in producing a strong performance, with hooker Shaun Packer making 39 tackles and Ethan Malt making 242 metres. Fullback Ben Farr also made two-line breaks in what was a classic team finals effort.

Wynnum Manly made eight line breaks and a huge 64 tackle breaks.

This work with the ball meant that Tweed had to tackle until they  couldn’t do it anymore, with Wynnum Manly forcing Tweed to make 65 more tackles in a workload that couldn’t be sustained.

Wynnum Manly’s coach Michael Dobson said his side took their opening finals weekend loss and last week's win and learned from both.

“We learnt lessons from both, the loss just gave us some focus and then last week we had some things to fix and take forward to this week,” Dobson said.

“We want a real team effort, everyone has to do their job and do it well.

“I think both teams are very closely matched in fact I think Blackhawks have been the team of the season and I think this will be a close game.”

On the other side is the Blackhawks; who had the week off and were able to kick back and watch the other Finals Week 2 games after beating the Dolphins a fortnight ago.

The side have played in great form, including half Tom Duffy who has been creating havoc, try-scoring whiz Jacob Mene and game-breaking fullback Dylan White.

Townsville finished second to Wynnum Manly on the ladder and they’re so close to each other it is scary. While both won 14 games, Wynnum Manly scored two more points than the Blackhawks and let in 30 points less, but all that won’t mean too much on Saturday.

Blackhawks coach Steve Sheppard thought the week off would have benefits for his side.

“We had momentum, so you want to keep playing, but a break can help too and we will take the break at this time of year,” Sheppard said.

When you touch on the pain of 12 months ago, it is something the Blackhawks haven’t forgotten.

“The guys have mentioned it, but we certainly haven’t dwelled on it.

“Wynnum (Manly) are a great team and a great attacking team; I think there will be points and this won’t be a low scoring finals game.”

When the Blackhawks and Wynnum Manly are finished, fans will have a brief recovery period before the Redcliffe Dolphins and Central Queensland Capras.

The Dolphins have been up and down and got beaten in Finals Week 1 by the Blackhawks, but then bounced back to beat the Sunshine Coast Falcons 30-16.

The Dolphins took a while to find momentum and scored their first try just on halftime to be down 10-6 to the Falcons.

The Dolphins did all this with less football; and that grit will please coach Ben Te’o - however, he would be keen to work on the application and execution.

Levi Wilson made 35 tackles and Jack Aiken was at the front of the attack with 149 metres and Marcus Spence made two-line breaks.

Dolphins coach Te’o said his side were finals ready.

“Finals are what you play for and we are excited, playing at home in a final before Cup,” Te’o said.

“This is as good as it gets.

“We played the Capras earlier in the season and they were excellent, well drilled, finished top four and had a week off.

“They’re finals ready and we will be too.”

The Capras are the giant killers of the Hastings Deering Colts; they have knocked off Wynnum Manly in Finals Week 1 and had a week off to think about how they would produce another upset. And ideally, another one after that.

Capras coach Kane Hardy was not resting or reflecting on the year just yet.

“What a year, it’s been fantastic, the Hostplus Cup made week two, our girls made the grand final and now our Colts are in a prelim final," Hardy said. 

“We aren’t happy, we aren’t sitting back saying that’ll do.

“The boys have had a taste, now they’re on the edge of the dance floor and we want to keep going and win again.

“It’s just been so good, we aren’t ready to go home yet.

“When the Capras are going well Rockhampton is going well.

“We want to make our region proud.”

QRL Match Review charges results Finals Week 2 Hastings Deering Colts