CLOSE TO PERFECT
Colts loss follows up big wins
RUGBY LEAGUE: It was nearly the perfect day for south-west rugby league.
The Toowoomba Clydesdales won the 47th Battalion Trophy representative carnival while one Western Mustangs team is off to the grand final.
The other, unfortunately, is still happy with their campaign despite bowing out in a big day of QRL semi-finals at Gold Park yesterday.
The Mustangs succumbed 34-14 to Redcliffe in the FOGS U20s Cup semi-final in what was a gutsy performance.
Winger Nathaniel Jones scored an acrobatic try in the corner in the fourth minute to put the Mustangs up 4-0 but his day soon turned as he left the field with a calf injury.
That was followed up with an ankle injury to centre Hayden Packer leaving the Mustangs with two on the bench and a re-shuffle in the backs.
Redcliffe held a 10-4 advantage at half-time but quickly built on that in the second stanza.
A try to Wade Austin in the 47th minute got the Mustangs back to 14-8 before the teams traded tries to make the score 22-14 with 20 minutes to play.
The Dolphins ran in two more tries though to book a place in the colts grand final against Mackay.
“We couldn’t be prouder of the effort,” Mustangs under 20s coach Dean Bosnich said.
“Redcliffe is a really strong team. They’re undefeated for a reason. They always have a quality 20s team.
“We competed with them right to the end.
“They got a couple of late tries in a few pivotal moments didn’t really go our way, especially early in the second half. They thoroughly deserved their win and they deserve a spot in the grand final.
“We’re disappointed but in another way, we have to realise that it was a good achievement to make a state-wide semi-final.”
Earlier, the Mustangs qualified for the Mal Meninga Cup grand final with a 29-22 victory over Easts Tigers.
The Mustangs led 26-4 at half-time before Easts lifted in the second half to get the score back to 26-22 in the 59th minute to set up a thrilling final 10 minutes.
The hosts added a penalty goal with nine minutes to play before centre Alexander Dunemann iced the win with a field goal in the second-last minute.
“At the start of the year I knew this group would be competitive but they’ve exceeded my expectations,” Mustangs under 18s coach Eugene Seddon said.
The Mustangs will take on Souths-Logan in the under 18s grand final in Brisbane this Sunday.
A DOGGED defensive effort has helped Toowoomba edge out Sunshine Coast in the final at the 47th Battalion Trophy carnival at Yeppoon.
The Clydesdales downed Sunshine Coast 16-14 in the final of the Central Division representative carnival to reclaim the trophy.
There was also some individual recognition for four of the Clydesdales, with Corey Blades, Steve Franciscus, Matt Duggan and Jason Wardrop named in the central Division team to contest the QRL Divisional Championships.
Toowoomba started the carnival in superb style by knocking off tournament host Rockhampton 36-6.
The Clydesdales followed that up with a 30-18 win over South-West Country in their second game.
That set up a final between the Clydesdales and Sunshine Coast.
Toowoomba got out to an early lead and dug deep in defence to hold out Sunshine Coast.
The carnival win comes despite not having fringe Intrust Super Cup players in their squad like the likes of Bundaberg and Sunshine Coast, who had former Darling Downs talents Haydan Lipp and Dan Murphy in its line-up.
“It’s fabulous,” Toowoomba coach Chris McEwan said. “We defended lots of the time, we got penalised a bit.
“We didn’t have any Q-Cup players. It’s great that we could compete at that level.”
The 10-hour road trip and basic accommodation galvanised the Clydesdales squad.
“That’s what makes it special,” McEwan said.
“It was 10 hours up on the bus. Our accommodation was buck beds in one room.
“No one complained, they just got on with their job.”