Dolphins’ blitz takes revenge on Knights
SURFERS Paradise have reclaimed their status as premiership favourites on a Gold Coast District Rugby Union weekend where an undefeated team lost and a winless side won.
The Dolphins avenged their Round 6 loss to Griffith University Colleges in convincing fashion on Saturday, overturning a four-point halftime deficit to run away 45-15 winners at Albert Park.
Surfers skipper Andy Finn admitted their previous headto-head clash had been firmly in mind when they launched their second-half spree.
“Everyone remembered what happened in the last round,” Finn said. “This was the game the boys had been eyeing since the defeat and we’ve been building towards it over the past few weeks.”
For the Knights, coach Graham Herlihy was left to concede his opposition deserved the points.
“They got on a roll and we just couldn’t halt the momentum. They were just too good in the second half,” he said.
“I think we’re still capable of being the side to halt these guys.”
Colleges are likely to move back into first place next week when they host lastplaced Bond Pirates while Surfers have the bye.
In a result welcomed across the competition, the Pirates registered their first victory in 2018 with an entertaining 35-29 match against Palm Beach Currumbin.
“We were a little bit unlucky with Tweed a couple of months back, Eagles sort of put us in our place last week but we showed some signs that we were building and then Palm Beach we saw the opportunity and it just came together well,” Pirates captain Ben Louisson said.
“We took what opportunities we could and we managed to hold on in the end. It was a cracking game.
“(The reaction) from me, it was relief more than anything. It was amazing to get the win that has taken us so long to get.
“It just felt right ... and then it sunk in that we had won and our supporters were going crazy.”