Who won key TRL clash between Dalby and Wattles?
‘‘ THEY’RE CONFIDENT IN THEIR OWN FORM AND SEEM TO HAVE GOT THEIR MATCH PLAN TOGETHER. GLYN REES
Wattles has secured the 2018 TRL minor premiership in convincing fashion, taking a 44-24 win in Dalby over the Diehards yesterday.
Wattles president Glyn Rees commended the form of his side throughout the season, losing just one game to date.
“They’re confident in their own form and seem to have got their match plan together,” Rees said.
“In the earlier part of the season we seemed to have a slow patch in the second half, but we seemed to have got on top of that.
“With Valleys they were down 16-0 and managed to score five tries in the last half hour.”
Wattles had a nightmare start after failing to collect the kick-off and conceding a fourpointer off the ensuing set of six to replacement hooker Josh Bentley.
The Warriors were able to bounce back however, with player-coach Travis Burns playing a leading hand in the side’s opening two tries to Ty Gardner and Braydon Wilson in the 10th and 17th minutes respectively.
Andrew Richardson’s 14th try of the season extended the lead out further, before Jake Hargreaves crashed over, as Wattles continued to starve Dalby of possession and field position.
Just seconds before the halftime siren, halfback Matt Duggan found Jackson Green on his inside to give Wattles a 28-6 lead at the break.
The visitors were able to wrap up the game early in the second half with three tries in the space of 10 minutes to Nathan Gaulton, Dylan Wilson and Richardson’s second for the afternoon.
The Diehards managed to pick up three consolation tries including two to Corey Blades to add some respectability to the scoreline.
■ At Herb Steinohrt Oval, Warwick claimed a big scalp en-route to the semi finals, defeating Valleys 22-14.
The Cowboys broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when Dylan Galloway made the most of a Dave McGrady switch of play to crash in under the posts.
The two sides continued to battle for ascendency as a 33rd minute penalty goal to McGrady pushed the lead out to eight.
Harry Sullivan extended the lead to 14 after a brilliant individual effort from a scrum 20m from the Valleys line to bust through the opposition’s defence.
It took 55 minutes for the Roosters to trouble the scorer, with fleet-footed fullback Dylan Chown putting them on the board.
Warwick custodian Craig Donn was unable to diffuse a towering spiral bomb from Cory McGrady just minutes later, with Zac Miles gathering the loose ball to cut the margin to six.
Another moment of brilliance from Harry Sullivan stopped Valleys momentum in its tracks, after he split the defensive line, before linking up with brother Ben to give the Cowboys breathing space.
A decision from Bretty Seymour inside his own 40 paid dividends, setting up Chown for his second of the afternoon, before another penalty goal from Dave McGrady’s boot in the final minute sealed the win for Warwick.
■ Full TRL Premiership points tables and weekend results from all grades will appear in Tuesday’s The Chronicle.