Brothers banking on young halves pairing
Power recruit boosts forwards
A YOUNG halves pairing firing at the right time of the season and a rugby union convert could be Brothers’ not-sosecret weapons to making a charge to September.
The Fish dismantled Ivanhoes 38-18 yesterday in one of the highest quality games of the season at Jones Park, importantly keeping them in touch with the top three on the CDRL ladder.
Gabriel Tognolini, who has made the No.7 his own over the past month, was instrumental with two tries and injured fullback Ben Fitzpatrick, who took the coaching reins for the day, said his growing partnership with Evan Child could be the key to going one better than 2016.
“We’re in a good position at the moment,” he said.
“We’ve got two young halves who are really working hard for each other and we’re a pretty young side so they can only get better each week. They play really well together and they’re building each week, so they can only get better.”
Recent forward arrival Dominic Power, who is the rugby union development officer in the Far North, lived up to his name on Sunday and Fitzpatrick, who will be on the sidelines for at least two more weeks with a meniscus tear, said it was adding up to a formidable forward pack.
“He’s come over to league and he’s doing really well and getting better every week,” he said.
Fitzpatrick said edge defence was the key area that needed work and with other parts of the game clicking, he felt if they got that right, they could beat anyone.
Ivanhoes coach Ben Rauter said Brothers were just too good on the day despite his side’s tidy ball control throughout the first half.
“To tell you the truth, Brothers were the better team. They probably started better than us and in that first 15 to 20 minutes it showed, but we didn’t make an error for that first half,” he said.
“In the end, those little one- percenters cost us and they got momentum back there and scored a couple of cheap tries on the last.”
Rauter said while the loss left his side four points behind the Brethren and seven points from the second chance zone, he was convinced anything could happen on the run home.
“We take it one week at a time but I guess in terms of the ladder it was an important game and we move on to next week, another two points, but I think with the competition, anyone can win on the day and you’ve got to turn up no matter who you play,” he said.
Brothers host Yarrabah next weekend while Ivanhoes are at home to Atherton Roosters.
WE’RE IN A GOOD POSITION AT THE MOMENT ... WE’RE A PRETTY YOUNG SIDE SO THEY CAN ONLY GET BETTER EACH WEEK