FOR 40 minutes yesterday it looked like Brothers’ ambition was as much tackling practice as it could get.
Norths dominated the first half of their clash at Brother Seery Park, as Brothers did almost all they could to hand the Tigers the initiative.
Dropped balls and a continual stream of penalties to the visitors meant Norths dominated possession and territory.
But Norths’ finishing was wasteful and a 6-0 lead at the break, thanks to a try to lock Stephen Harling, was a poor return for their dominance.
For Brothers to be down just one try gave them confidence they could turn it around after the break.
“We gave them too much ball in the first half,” Brothers prop Jack Boettcher said.
“But we held them out for 25 sets. We knew if we held the ball in the second half, we’d be right.”
It took just a minute into the second half for Brothers’ winger Ben Seve to slice Norths open and score in the left-hand corner.
On nine minutes, Seve crossed again in the same spot, this time following a Nephi Tusa bust on the left edge.
In the 20th minute it was Tusa, trailing halfback Jason Connors, who crossed in the same corner.
Five-eighth Fili Notoa’s third sideline conversion made it 18-6 and Norths looked shot.
Notoa and Brooke Alofipo completed the rout with further tries as Norths were increasingly bereft of ideas with the ball, subdued by Brothers’ defence.
“We knew once we held on to the ball for a couple of sets, the tries would come,” Boettcher said, praising fellow front rowers Tusa and Afoa.
With Sione Piutau and Liu Faamate out injured Afoa took on the enforcer’s role in the middle of the ruck, with big hits and bullocking charges.
Replacement forward Tusa cut open the Norths defence on the left edge repeatedly in the second half.
“He was really good,” Boettcher said of Tusa.
“He made a few breaks. And Josh has been a good addition to the club. He’s fitted in really well and adds a good bit of size.”
Since losing to Goodna, Brothers have returned to their true selves, surviving the onslaught before outlasting first Swifts, now Norths.
“If we hold on to the ball we know we’ll be sweet against anyone,” Boettcher said.
Norths were left to lament their inability to maintain their standards after the break.
“It was a bit disappointing,” Norths second rower Brad Oddie said. “We had a good first half but we went away from what was working. We knew it would be tough against Brothers.
“At halftime we felt we were well and truly in it.
“But as brothers do, they capitalised on our mistakes.
“In the first half our intensity in defence was excellent but we couldn’t repeat it.”
Brothers 30 (Ben Seve 2, Brook Alofipo, Neph Tusa, Fili Notoa tries; Fili Notoa 6 goals) def Norths 6 (Stephen Harling try; Jack Saena goal) at Brother Seery Park.
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Courtesy of the Queensland Times
Jay Buchan – Monday 6 May 2013
www.qt.com.au
Article link – http://www.qt.com.au/news/tigers-trapped/1855605/
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