Lightning bolts back
THE North Ward Old Boys will enter this weekend’s Townsville and Districts Rugby Union semi- finals on a high after beating Charters Towers 24- 14 in their finalround game.
The Old Boys trailed Charters Towers 12- 10 at halftime but edged ahead with a pair of penalty goals, before winger Ryan Allan scored five minutes from full- time to seal the win.
Brothers beat University 46- 0 in the round’s other game, with flanker Taevita Ma’ulu’ulu scoring three tries.
The Brethren play minor premiers Teachers West in the competition’s major semifinal, with the winner advancing to the decider and the loser earning a second chance in the preliminary final.
There will be no second chances for North Ward or Burdekin in their knockout semi, but North Ward’s Dan Withers said his team would leave no stone unturned come finals.
“We’ve had some very close games with Burdekin this year, and they’ve won all three, even though they were very close results,” he said. “There’s a good rivalry between the two clubs and it’s going to be another tough game.”
Withers believes the weekend clash against Charters Towers was the right preparation going into the do- ordie semi. WHO said Lightning cannot strike twice?
The Sunshine Coast were ecstatic after their 62- 59 win over West Coast Fever in the Suncorp Super Netball grand final in Perth yesterday.
The victory means they have won two premierships in their first two years.
Townsville’s own Cara Koenen played her role in the decider, playing at goal attack in place of starting teammate Steph Wood, who smashed into the goalpost during the opening quarter.
Wood was taken from the court by medical staff but returned in the second term.
The Sunshine Coast trailed by seven goals late in the second quarter but showed their fighting spirit by reeling in the home side just before halftime.
The Lightning outscored the Fever 22- 16 in the third term but had to survive some anxious moments in the fourth quarter.
Scores were level with six minutes left on the clock and West Coast hit the front soon after but the Lightning were cool, calm and collected to complete a premiership against the odds.
They had to win their last four regular season games just to make the finals after losing the opening three matches of the season.
They then won all three finals away from home.
“I don’t know if there’s many sporting teams around the world who have managed to do what we’ve done,’’ said captain Geva Mentor.
“I’m still quite in shock that we’ve managed to do it.
“To be able to go back- toback with the Lightning is pretty incredible.’’
MVP Caitlin Bassett hit 45 goals from 50 attempts while Steph Wood added 17 goals.
Jhaniele Fowler hit goals from 55 attempts the Fever.
Mentor said the belief in the game plan and each other was the key to the second half masterclass against the Fever who were playing in their first- ever decider.
Lightning coach Noeline Taurua said her defenders’ ability to grind away at the Fever and “assert our dominance” was critical.
She also has decisions to make this week.
Firstly, the Lightning will engage in talks with players about next season with all teams set to release their free 53 for agents list next Monday.
And Taurua also has to decide if she takes up an offer to coach the New Zealand national team.
“The big thing for us at the moment is contracting, like all franchises,” she said.
“It’s pretty hard. I’m hoping that a lot of players that we’ve had over the last two years still want to remain with Lightning especially after that win.
“Still working through other things that’s going to be happening in my life, hopefully we’ll see where that goes in the next couple of days or over the week.’’