Brothers run riot to go top
Seventh bonus point win
Brothers claimed victory and bragging rights on Saturday as they dismantled an underpowered Teachers West outfit 40-14 in round 11 of Townsville’s 1st grade rugby union.
A dominant scrum and devastating defence made the difference in the end as the Fish secured their seventh straight bonus point win, catapulting them to first on the ladder.
Tries before and after halftime saw Brothers lead 26-0, but tough work from the Bulldogs forward pack had them back in the contest with backto-back tries to Toby Paynter and Pita Seveikau.
However , consecutive tightheads from an imposing Brothers scrum swung momentum firmly back in their favour and they were able to turn the screws on their opponents who had no energy to muster another response.
Teachers West coach Terry Shiells was pleased to have exposed some of his depth players to 1st grade but still thought they could have kept the game close.
“There’s always positives when you don’t have everybody playing because you get a group of people to play at a higher level,” Shiells said.
“The negatives were that I thought we could have been a bit more competitive across the park.
“We did a lot of good things, but then we probably dropped off on a few others.
“We butchered a couple of tries too, they’re the little ones that are bread and butter with your full team so we’ll take a lot out of it.”
Earlier in the afternoon Brothers and Teachers West could not be split in the women’s game, finishing 12-12, but the finish was overshadowed by serious injuries in the closing stages of the match.
Two Brothers players were hurt with suspected broken bones and the final five minutes were called off as an ambulance was called and brought on to the field.
Shiells said he had received a message on Sunday morning from one of the Brothers players, thanking Teachers West for their immediate concern in handling the situation.
“The safety of the players is always paramount,” Shiells said.
The hosts dominated territory in the first half with a near even split of possession as neither team could find a way to break through the resolute defence, with Brothers withstanding the better opportunities of the two.
Brothers centre Hayley Crawford was constantly floating around the ball looking for ways to involve herself in the game and was able to clear the ball with some desperate kicks to save the day on a couple of occasions.
Teachers West No.8 Layla Fujii made an impact on the match through her strong carries, especially from the base of the scrum.
In the other women’s fixtures, Western Suburbs closed out North Ward 22-0 while Burdekin held on for a slender 17-15 win against the Charters Towers Bullettes.