Pride’s fall earns wrath
The Northern Pride didn’t need a spray to know they’d let one slip — but copped it anyway. When crucial second-half errors cost the fourthplaced Pride their 11th win of the season against Sunshine Coast on Saturday night, Ty Williams’ charges knew a bitter bake was coming. “If we think that’s acceptable what we dished up in the second half, then we’re going to be in trouble the next few weeks,” Williams (above) said.
THE Northern Pride didn’t need a spray to know they’d let one slip – but copped it anyway.
The rampaging Pride entered Saturday night’s Hervey Bay clash against the Sunshine Coast Falcons having won seven of their last 10 matches, with five of those victories coming away from Cairns.
So when crucial second-half errors cost the fourth-placed Pride their 12th win of the season, Ty Williams’ charges knew a bitter bake was coming.
“The boys got a fair tuning just then,” Williams said in the post-match press conference. “If we think that’s acceptable what we dished up in the second half, then we’re going to be in trouble the next few weeks.”
It could have all been so different, with the frenetic Falcons throwing everything they could at the Pride in the first half, swinging the ball from side-to-side as five-eighth Ryley Jacks desperately searched for an opening. But Jacks’ jaunts came up with little while the Pride capitalised on limited opportunities with two penalty goals to Jack Campagnolo.
The momentum finally swung in the 36th minute when Javid Bowen found himself on the end of a Shawn Bowen grubber kick with three minutes to play in the first half, giving the Pride a double-digit lead at the break.
Falcons mentor Craig Ingebritsen said he knew the Pride would be vulnerable if they continued to attack in the second half.
“We felt like we should’ve been up 18-nil,” he said.
“We just tried to calm the boys down and discussed that we needed to stick to the process. We don’t give up points easily and really defend our line well.”
An early try to Jye Ballinger lifted the home team before Shawn Bowen found the corner post in the 57th minute.
The Falcons’ persistence started to pay off with skipper Dane Hogan, playing his 150th match, storming through for a try before fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen tied the game minutes later.
A Jacks field goal with six minutes to play set up a thrilling finish but the Pride never truly threatened late.
Not even a punch to the throat could hide lock Dave Murphy’s hurt as he dissected the dying stages while standing outside the changerooms. Still croaky after copping a swinging arm from teammate Will Bugden during the game, Murphy struggled to find the right words to voice his displeasure.
“We need more composure. We gave away too many penalties tonight and marched them up the field,” the Hervey Bay junior said.
“If we don’t make the top three, this will be the game we’ll look back on and say ‘that hurt us’.”
The Pride play CQ Capras this weekend at Stan Williams Park.
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SATURDAY IPSWICH JETS 15 (Marmin Barba 2 tries, 3 goals; Sam Caslick field goal) def REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 14 (Bryce Donovan, Tom Opacic tries; Kotoni Staggs 3 goals) at Dolphin Stadium. WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 33 (Til Vea, Shaun Nona, Daniel Ogden, Edward Burns, Stedman Lefau, Mitch Cronin tries; Patrick Templeman 4 goals, field goal) def CQ CAPRAS 16 (Maipele Morseau, Nathan Bassani, Zeik Foster tries; Connor Broadhurst, Blake Goodman goals) at BMD Kougari Oval. SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS 15 (Jye Ballinger, Dane Hogan, Ryan Papenhuyzen tries; Ryan Papenhuyzen goal; Ryley Jacks field goal) def NORTHERN PRIDE 14 (Javid Bowen, Shawn Bowen tries; Jack Campagnolo 3 goals) at Stafford Park, Hervey Bay. SUNDAY TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 24 (Talor Walters 2, Ryland Jacobs, Lamar Manuel-Liolevave tries; Lindon McGrady 2, Kane Elgey 2 goals) def MACKAY CUTTERS 22 (Nicho Hynes, Nathan Saumalu, Blake Atherton, Brenden Treston, Yamba Bowie tries; Nicho Hynes goal) at Piggabeen Sports Complex. EASTS TIGERS 46 (Scott Drinkwater 3, Billy Walters 2, Jake Foster, Marion Seve, Brett Greinke, Albert Vete tries; Brodie Croft 5 goals) def NORTHS DEVILS 12 (Sam Tagataese, Jamayne TaunoaBrown, Herbie Farnworth tries) at Bishop Park. PNG HUNTERS 20 (Wartovo Puara, Charlie Simon, Thompson Teteh, Adex Wera tries; Ase Boas 2 goals) def BURLEIGH BEARS 10 (Troy Leo 2 tries; Jamal Fogarty goal) at Oil Search National Football Stadium, Port Moresby. TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 16 (Carlin Anderson, Temone Power, Krys Freeman tries; Kalifa Faifai-Loa 2 goals) def SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 6 (Paul Rokolati try; Guy Hamilton goal) at Davies Park.
THE BOYS GOT A FAIR TUNING JUST THEN. IF WE THINK THAT’S ACCEPTABLE WHAT WE DISHED UP IN THE SECOND HALF, THEN WE’RE GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE THE NEXT FEW WEEKS
NEXT WEEK Saturday, August 4 Norths Devils v Townsville Blackhawks at Bishop Park 1.10pm (Channel 9) Ipswich Jets v Sunshine Coast Falcons at North Ipswich Reserve 3pm Northern Pride v CQ Capras at Stan Williams Park, Cairns 3pm Easts Tigers v Tweed Heads Seagulls at Suzuki Stadium, Langlands Park 4pm Redcliffe Dolphins v Mackay Cutters at Dolphin Stadium 6pm Sunday, August 5 Burleigh Bears v Wynnum Manly Seagulls at Pizzey Park 2pm Souths Logan Magpies v PNG Hunters at Davies Park 3pm