Roar power key for Tigers
Queensland rugby league legend Artie Beetson would have beamed a smile the length of the horizon had he observed the Brisbane Tigers’ 40-12 win over Tweed in the Harvey Norman Under-19s semi-final.
Beetson, the league immortal and Maroons State of Origin godfather, was a scrimmaging expert and how he would have enjoyed the Tigers forwards binding and pushing in the scrum.
It was one such shove midway through the first half which led to a turnover that resulted in Tigers’ Patricia Wani scoring her team’s second try.
The set piece was like a trip down memory lane and the Tigers used the scrum as an attacking weapon.
Tweed, rich with talent and one of the most entertaining sides of the entire junior representative season, didn’t deserve to see the match slide away from them as quickly as it did.
The competition is better off the contribution this season of Tweed players like Shanarlii
Peckham, Gabrielle To’o, Phoenix-Raine Hippi, Ava Swain, Natalia Hickling and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala.
“They were too big and strong for us, but we had a great season and some great friendships were made,’’ said Tweed coach Anthony Swain.
One after the other, the Tigers forwards rolled down field, giving their side greater momentum with every ruck.
The resulting try was a 12nil lead at halftime and a down payment on victory.
The flame flickered for Tweed when fullback Shanarlii Peckham crossed 21 minutes from full-time after Tigers had turned over possession. That made it 186.
Tweed nearly scored again shortly after which could have swung the match, but the Tigers regrouped, with their forwards getting them down the field.
Tigers prop Porche John, so impressive running the ball, delivered a soft pass to put her centre Relna Hosea over to make it 24-6 and the game was safe again.