After a month of confidence-building consistent form which brought successive victories, the Romano Group Tweed Heads Seagulls were blown off the park at Kougari Oval on Saturday night in the battle of the Gulls.
Wynnum Manly dominated from almost the start to win 46-8 in probably their best performance of the season.
Tweed were without in-form second-rower Lamar Liolevave, out through suspension, and winger Dave Sheridan was a late withdrawal, but were nonetheless outplayed with Wynnum’s big men ploughing through the middle, providing space for their halves and outside men to pile on the points.
The first Wynnum try came from a shift to the left from a scrum 20m out in the 10th-minute for a 4-0 lead but Tweed were still in the game until the momentum changed dramatically with Wynnum crossing for five tries in 13 minutes from the 23rd-minute mark to take the match away from the visiting Gulls.
The first came from a grubber behind the defence into the in-goal that was pounced upon by Wynnum fullback Daniel Ogden to bring up a double. Three minutes later a long pass to the right from former NRL player Travis Burns to big winger Peter Gubb produced another try for a 14-0 lead.
Soon after came an incredible refereeing decision when Tweed least needed it. Fullback Pheonix Hunapo chased a kick that was clearly going into the perimeter fence and he grabbed it ready to retreat for a 20m tap when referee Ben Watts decided to pull a rarely made technical call from the rule book and claimed Hunapo had one foot still in the in-goal (even though the ball was sailing well into dead in goal) when he gained possession of the ball and ruled a line-drop out.
From the ensuing set Tweed were penalised for holding down in a 50-50 call and three tackles later hooker Jayden Berrell went over from dummy half. In the set after the kick-off, a bomb to the left by Wynnum halfback Aaron Booth was spilled by John Olive and it was 24-0 five minutes from half-time.
Tweed’s hopes of starting the second half strongly were soured by a forward pass ruling to Titans back-rower Agnatius Paasi and from their next set of tackles Wynnum broke clear on Tweed’s left edge and good support play saw right winger Goodrich score for 28-0.
Broncos and former Titans utility back David Mead brilliantly set up a try in the 52nd after beating two defenders with fend from 40m and then sending a great pass to Ogden to provide the Wynnum Manly fullback his third try of the match.
Again Wynnum scored from the first set from the kick-off for 38-0 before Tweed were on the scoreboard in the 58th minute when, after a shift to right, Hunapo put a grubber behind the line for right winger Peter Lee to ground the ball in the right corner.
Interchange hooker Will Johnstone scored his second try in successive weeks from dummy half late in the game.
The Gulls’ disappointing night was compounded by a series of injuries. Dane Clarke was unable to return to the field after suffering concussion in the 52nd minute and five minutes after Paasi – who played only 27 minutes off the bench – aggravated a shoulder injury.
Sam Saville is also suffering a sternum injury and was replaced in the 54th minute.
Club debutant Tristan Lumley shared the players’ player award with John Olive. Lumley got through the full 80 minutes, as did fellow second-rower Eddy Pettybourne.
For full match details and team lists – CLICK HERE
Full match and player statistics
WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 46 (Daniel Ogden 3, Jayden Berrell 2, Peter Gubb, Jack Goodsell, Jeriah Goodrich, Aaron Booth tries; Aaron Booth 5 goals) def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 8 (Peter Lee, William Johnstone tries) at BMD Kougari Oval.
The ladder after 14 rounds:
| Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Bye | For | Agnst | Total |
| PNG Hunters | 13 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 348 | 210 | 24 |
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 411 | 205 | 23 |
| Redcliffe Dolphins | 14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 333 | 201 | 20 |
| Souths Logan Magpies | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 351 | 285 | 18 |
| Easts Tigers | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 325 | 290 | 17 |
| Townsville Blackhawks | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 343 | 305 | 16 |
| Ipswich Jets | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 324 | 339 | 14 |
| Wynnum Manly Seagulls | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 242 | 235 | 12 |
| Norths Devils | 14 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 354 | 355 | 12 |
| Mackay Cutters | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 289 | 362 | 11 |
| CQ Capras | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 282 | 383 | 9 |
| Northern Pride | 14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 224 | 317 | 8 |
| Burleigh Bears | 14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 206 | 318 | 8 |
| Tweed Heads Seagulls | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 211 | 438 | 6 |
NEXT WEEK
Saturday
Townsville Blackhawks v Sunshine Coast Falcons at Jack Manski Oval 4:00pm
PNG Hunters v Tweed Heads Seagulls at National Football Stadium, Port Moresby 5:00pm
Sunday
Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Norths Devils at BMD Kougari Oval 1:40pm (Channel 9)
Byes: Burleigh Bears, CQ Capras, Easts Tigers, Ipswich Jets, Mackay Cutters, Northern Pride, Redcliffe Dolphins, Souths Logan Magpies
Related Posts
