After the first week of Mal Meninga Cup finals the pretenders have been separated from the contenders, and the penultimate weekend of the competition approaches.
Mal Meninga Cup Finals Week 1
Burleigh Bears 48 def Souths Logan Magpies 12 @ Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
Entering the match the Bears appeared to edge out the Magpies as favourites on paper, but a result as lopsided as this wasn’t on anyone’s form guides.
It was David Bryenton of the Magpies who opened the game’s scoring with an awe-inspiring 90 metre line break mere minutes into the affair.
Catching the pill off a scrum, Bryenton combined his deadly right-foot-step with an assertive don’t argue, as he split the line with nothing but open pastures in front of him.
Following up Bryenton’s effort was front-rower Fa'apale Feaunati who put the Magpies ahead 12-0 within the first ten minutes.
After coasting to such a lead, it was the Magpies game to lose.
Three unanswered tries from the Bears would see the Magpies entering the sheds down 14-12, with the game still in limbo but momentum undeniably in Burleigh’s favour.
Unfortunately for the Magpies, the hits kept coming from the Bears, as they crossed another three times within the first ten minutes of the second half, turning a two-point lead into a near unassailable sixteen-point advantage.
In the final twenty-five minutes the Bears would pile on another four tries, bringing their tally to ten four-pointers on the day.
Winger Bailey Trew and Centre Ryder Abell would both cross for doubles, while goal-kicker and halfback Marley Mclaren was only able to slot three conversions from nine attempts.
It was an off day from the tee for the uber talented number 7, but Mclaren's playmaking and his constant danger with ball in hand more than made up for his misses.
Mackay Cutters 22 def Norths Devils 18 @ Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
The Mackay Cutters have had a brilliant season across their junior statewide competitions, with their Mal Meninga Cup side now becoming the third representative of Mackay to progress through to the Semi-Finals, alongside their Cyril Connell Cup and Harvey Norman U19 teams.
Putting the Cutters on the board first was their crafty hooker, Joshua Toby.
Toby has a penchant of sneaking over close to the tryline, and last Saturday was no different.
Inspired by Toby, Norths number 9 Lachlan McCall would attempt a sneak of his own ten metres out from the Cutters line.
Though he couldn’t score, he was able to offload to Lock Charlie Dickson, who ducked under a tackle to level the scores 6-6.
The back and froth would continue as a Ryan Misztela try for the Cutters was nullified by an Adaquix Luke try for Norths on the eve of halftime, as the Devils took a narrow two point lead into the half.
Two quick tries in succession for the Cutters would see them poke their nose ahead by ten points.
A try from Devils utility Sonny Herdegen would reduce the deficit to four with twenty minutes left.
Unfortunately for the Devils, their inability to find touch on penalties would come back to bite them, as the field position continuously fell in the Cutters favour as a result.
