NO JOSH Roberts, no Robbie Peters, no worries.
Norths overcame the loss of their key backline duo to dispose of reigning Ipswich Rugby League premier Brothers by 20 points in Saturday night’s top-of-the-table clash at Brother Seery Oval.
The Tigers didn’t miss a beat under the direction of stand-in five-eighth Jarrod Biggs as they piled on seven tries to four in the 44-24 win.
Norths coach Boss Cecil said beating Brothers at home was always a satisfying result.
“Those wins against Brothers are pretty rare so you savour them when they come along,” Cecil said.
“The plan was to put pressure on them right across the field.
“We did that really well and our focus on our kick/chase game brought us a number of tries.
“It was far from perfect, we have a whole lot of improvement to come and some big tests against Fassifern and Goodna to come before the first round is complete.”
Dale Robertson and Biggs were standouts for the visitors. However, it was the effort of 17-year-old winger Tevita Falou that Cecil singled out.
A centre for the Ipswich Mal Meninga Cup team, Falou played half a game in the under-18s before turning in a superb effort in his first A-grade game.
“He was really good against an experienced back three for Brothers,” Cecil said.
“I spoke to his parents and the under-18 coach and we pulled him out of the game at halftime.
“Both he and Brent Newton, who was in 18s last year, played really well.”
In the other change room, Brothers coach Mick Wilson was less impressed with both his own performance and that of his players.
“I give the boys 10 out of 10 for effort but it’s clear we were under-prepared and we played accordingly,” Wilson said.
“That includes me as well.
“To be fair, I probably underestimated Norths.
“I won’t do that again.”
Wilson said Norths scored five or six tries from kicks after winning the field position battle on the night.
Despite conceding such a high percentage of tries to kicks, he said Brothers wouldn’t be panicking at training in coming weeks. “Timmy Sauer and Ben Seve are as reliable as they come at the back and when they’re dropping kicks, we are having a bad day,” he said.
The win leaves Norths the only undefeated team after three rounds of the IRL.
With games against Fassifern and Goodna in coming rounds, the Tigers will soon find out exactly where they sit in season 2012.
Norths 44 (Michael Garvey, Brenton Mirallez 2, Jarrod Biggs, Vai Faingupo, Dale Robertson tries; Brenton Mirallez 8 goals) def Brothers 24 (Ross Sauer, Jason Connors, Blake O’Loan, Sione Piutau tries; Sam Krueger 3, Brett Turner goals) at Brother Seery Oval.
Article courtesy of the QT.
By Paul Smeaton
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2012/04/23/tigers-munch-up-champions-ipswich-rugby-league/
