Bears’ sleeping attack
@obrien_GCB BURLEIGH are prepared to be the ugly ducklings of the Queensland Cup after former Bears half Ryley Jacks came back to haunt them at Pizzey Park yesterday.
It was the same old story for the defending premiers in their 24-12 loss to Sunshine Coast.
Again they defended staunchly but again they could not convert attacking opportunities into points.
Missing the class of 2016 halves Jamal Fogarty and Cameron Cullen – and their replacements Tyler Cornish, who has left the club, and the injured Harry Siejka – Burleigh are averaging a leaguelow 12.8 points a game.
It’s left coach Jimmy Lenihan knowing they will need to grind out every minute of every match to get wins rather than piling on points with ease like they did last season.
“At this point (in the year) we are probably a better defensive side than what we were last year and we won it,” he said.
“At the moment we just can’t seem to find 20 points or 24 points each week whereas last year we were probably Redcliffe PNG Hunters Sunshine Coast Easts Tigers Norths Devils Townsville Souths Logan Ipswich Jets Wynnum Northern Pride Mackay Cutters CQ Capras Burleigh Bears Tweed Heads W 8 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 3 4 4 3 2 1 D 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 6 6 6 7 8 9 F 269 222 273 241 282 267 257 222 136 148 203 200 128 130 L 130 168 137 205 212 201 221 229 173 196 266 289 219 332 Pts 16 16 15 13 12 12 12 10 8 8 8 6 4 2 scoring 30s and 40s. It’s disappointing, it’s frustrating but there’s no magic silver bullet going to turn up here and change it around for us.
“We’re going to be a side where points are going to be hard to come by.
“Sometimes just effort and energy can give you points without really having to manufacture it too much – probably that’s how our points ended up coming at the end of the game (yesterday), just an ability to be able to play some field position with some good defence.”
Lenihan admitted changes may be needed and they could find an answer in ex-Penrith NRL playmaker Siejka, who is a chance to return next round against Wynnum Manly.
Five-eighth Keanu Te Kiri was hooked during the Falcons’ clash following an offcolour performance but Lenihan backed the rookie to bounce back.
“Leaving him out there and letting him make more mistakes wasn’t going to probably make it any better for us so I thought I would give Jamie (Dowling) a go in there,” he said.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean Keanu is going to miss out next week but it’s just the nurturing thing that we have got to do with these blokes at the moment.”
The Bears trailed 18-0 at the break but the scoreline could have looked far worse if not for desperate try-saving efforts by Dan Schwass, Kurtis Rowe and Te Kiri at various points in the first half.
Burleigh charged back to be within six points until their hopes were dashed by a Jacks show-and-go to hand Falcons winger Alex Copelin a late try.
Sunshine Coast’s Jake Turpin was taken from Pizzey Park post-game in an ambulance after suffering a suspected broken ankle.