Norths, Uni in bid for finals

TIMES have been tough for Norths and University in this year’s Townsville and Districts Rugby League, but the cellar dwellers are starting to make their moves.

Norths scored one of their biggest results of 2015 to beat Brothers 38- 16 at Peggy Banfield Park on Friday night, and University held off a late finishing Charters Towers to win 24- 16 at Jack Manski Oval.

University are now on the fringe of the TDRL’s top four, and Norths have moved inside it thanks to Friday’s result, having overtaken Charters Towers and Centrals, who lost to ladder leaders Herbert River in Ingham yesterday.

“We led 16- 12 at half- time and the best thing was we kicked on with it, which we have rarely done this year,” Norths coach Jason Cook said.

“We put Wayne Ulugia into lock and he brought good energy in the middle, so that’s something we might have to look at, and we had a couple of boys step up from reserve grade who did a good job.”

University coach Jason Gray was equally rapt with his team’s result, which keeps their finals hopes alive after spending much of the year in the competition’s cellar.

“Getting a win here in front of the Blackhawks has been good for us and we got a few of the regular boys back,” he said.

Gray said the Saints would keep fighting for a finals spot.

“We’re an outside chance, so we’ll see what happens.”