Emus round out regular season with another win
Photos: Kevin Farmer
RUGBY UNION: Goondiwindi headed for a two-week break to plan phase two of its 2018 Wagners Risdon Cup premiership assault after completing an undefeated fixture season at Gold Park on Saturday.
The Emus kept completed their perfect minor premiership success with a 50-7 round-18 victory over Toowoomba Rangers.
Despite coasting towards number one position on the competition ladder, Goondiwindi has managed to keep its foot on the accelerator during the latter cup rounds.
The Emus were at it again on Saturday, posting eight tries and restricting Rangers to just one five-pointer after playing most of the match with 12 players following the first-half dismissal of centre Harry Hawker for a dangerous tackle.
Coach Luke Fritz said the Emus will look to maintain intensity next weekend while Dalby, USQ, Rangers and Condamine battle out the first weekend of Super Saturday semi-finals at John Ritter Oval.
“A week’s break is probably a benefit at this stage of the season,” Fritz said.
“We’ll have a bit of a hit-out at home next Saturday amongst ourselves and get ready to face Dalby or Uni at home in two week’s time,” Fritz said.
Rangers finished in fourth place on the ladder after battling through a season minus more than a dozen of its Agrade line-up from last year.
Coach Tom Crockett said fitness and the lack of experienced leaders has worked against Rangers in 2018 but they are looking forward to mounting a strong finals’ challenge. “Unfortunately Fraser Donaldson and Jamie Walker are both out for us so we lose a lot of leadership there,” Crockett said.
“And when you lose 13 or 14 players from one season to the next it’s always a challenge but our first goal was to make the finals and now it’s a week at a time.
“It’s finals’ footy now and stranger things have happened.”
GOONDIWINDI 50 (Tom Jobling 2, Jay Schulte, Sam Tweedy, Yoni Meron, Will Gilbert, Sam Jobling, Harry Hawker tries; Will Gilbert 5 conversions) d TOOWOOMBA RANGERS 7 (Fraser Hess try; Brandon Murray conversion).