Ty’s full of Pride
The Northern Pride only worry about what they can control according to coach Ty Williams and apparently it’s more than enough to topple the top side in the Intrust Super Cup competition. After missing the chance to play the game as a curtain-raiser to the Rabbitohs-Cowboys clash at Barlow Park, the Pride took their talents to the Tablelands on Saturday night, taking on the Townsville Blackhawks at Tom McGeehan Oval in Atherton.
THE Northern Pride only worry about what they can control according to coach Ty Williams and apparently it’s more than enough to topple the top side in the Intrust Super Cup competition.
After missing the chance to play the game as a curtainraiser to the Rabbitohs-Cowboys clash at Barlow Park, the Pride took their talents to the Tablelands on Saturday night, taking on the Townsville Blackhawks at Tom McGeehan Oval in Atherton.
The conditions were poor, the field was heavy and the Pride were on the back foot early when former star Rod Griffin crossed the line 10 minutes into the match to give the visitors an early lead.
But the Pride weathered the storm in stalwart Sheldon Powe-Hobbs’ 100th match for the club, winning yet another nail-biter that was still alive until the dying seconds of the match.
“We knew it was going to be cold and miserable,” Williams said.
“We had to change our game plan when we got here. The boys adjusted and we got the result.”
The Pride set up two quick tries out wide in the first half for Gideon Gela-Mosby that caught Cowboys star Justin O’Neill and Kalifa Faifai Loa out of position on both occasions.
Williams said while the hype centred around Cowboys stars O’Neill, Javid Bowen and Ethan Lowe playing in the lead up to the game, Gela-Mosby deserved another opportunity at NRL level soon.
“That’s another double for him,” the Pride mentor said.
“I reckon he’s not far off. He’s got genuine speed and he’s a finisher. We prepare each week as if he is going to play up (at NRL level). Hopefully he gets a recall.”
The Pride entered the halftime break with a 10-6 lead but could have led by more with Lowe appearing to ground a deft grubber kick on the left side and the usually reliable Jake Clifford missing two conversions.
The Blackhawks responded early in the second half through winger Jonathon Reuben to tie the game, leading to a tense half-hour of play as the rain sheeted down.
But after missing his first drop-goal attempt with five minutes to play, Clifford showed no reluctance to try again, punting through a miserable helicopter kick that drew raucous cheers from the grandstand.
A penalty against Davin Crampton for a leg pull set up another scoring opportunity and the Pride held off a late charge from Kristian Woolf’s charges to prevail in the wet.
“There aren’t too many negatives to take out of the game,” Williams said. “We play pretty fearless football and the boys are starting to believe now which is great.”
Woolf said the Blackhawks delivered a solid performance but were dictated to in the closing stages of the game.
“We certainly had our opportunities,” Woolf said.
“I’m happy with the effort. It took us five-and-a-half hours to get here. I thought it was a terrific game of footy. I was a little bit disappointed with the last 10 minutes. I thought we gave them the field position to win the game.”
In slippery conditions, the ISC trialled a new ball on the night, with players filling out a review of its performance after the match.