ALL ON THE LINE IN THE CDRL FINALS
have kept their season alive with a convincing 30-4 victory over Brothers Cairns in yesterday’s CDRL elimination final.
It didn’t take long for Atherton to get the jump on the Brethren at the neutral ground of Barlow Park, with the Roosters’ staunch defence forcing an error in the first set of the match.
The Roosters went straight on the attack and wasted no time in taking an early 6-0 lead when barnstorming prop Mae Mani crashed through the Brothers defensive line.
Moments later and the Roosters were on the attack again. This time, Brothers’ defence looked up to the task but poor discipline gave the Roosters back-to-back sets and they made the Brethren pay by way of Graham Clark Jr.
Despite battling a hamstring complaint, the lock forward could not be stopped from close range to extend the Roosters’ lead to 12-0.
Brothers were battling on the scoreboard as well as on the field, with hooker Quinlyn Cannon’s afternoon coming to an early end after he came from the field with a rib injury midway through the first half.
The Brethren looked a good chance to grab their first points of the day through a sweeping play to the left edge, but Roosters’ Nigel Woodleigh plucked the ball out of the air and sprinted 90m for a long-range intercept try.
Atherton extended the lead out to 18-0 just before half time with a penalty goal.
Brothers gave themselves a sniff of a comeback after they were the first to score in the second half through winger Luke Fleming, but that was as close as they would come all afternoon.
A penalty goal saw Atherton take a 20-4 lead with 25 minutes to go, with further tries to flying Fijian Pio Seci and five-eighth Jermaine Pedro sealing the win.
Atherton coach Graham Clark Sr was full of praise for his troops.
“I think we strangled them out of the game,” he said.
“Defensively, I thought we were really good, especially in the first half.
“They had their opportunities and I give credit to our boys, they dug in.
He said he expected Clark Jr to be available for next week’s knockout match against either Yarrabah or Innisfail.
“We took him off because we were in front and we didn’t really need him, so he’ll be good to go next week,” Clark Sr said.
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