Round 17
Central Comets 4 l. North Qld Young Guns 22

2006 Wizard Queensland Cup Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Australia > Queensland > State/Metropolitan Level Competition: Wizard Queensland Cup

Far From Misi-ng in Action
Mon July 17, 2006
Source: QRL

THE DOOR is ajar for Central Comet Misi Taulapapa to work his way back into the NRL, after the former New Zealand Warrior shone in Saturdays 22-4 loss against the North Queensland Young Guns.

Sacked last month from the Warriors, Taulapapa scored the first try of the match at Browne Park and greatly impressed NQ coach Mick Crawley.

The Young Guns ran with one of their strongest sides of the year, buoyed by the inclusion of David Faiumu, Shane Tronc and Gavin Cooper.

However it wasnt until the final quarter of the match that the northerners sealed the local derby, having led 10-4 at halftime.

It was a tough game to find momentum in, said Crawley, a week after his charges beat Ipswich 42-36.

It was a stop-start sort of affair and I think thats the way the Comets wanted it. They walked to the first scrum and it seemed they were looking for a slower tempo to suit their bigger guys.

Those couple of late triesin the last 20 minutes I think our fitness told.

It was a marked advancement on Centrals Round Seven performance, when the Comets were towelled 56-12 by the Young Guns and judges struggled to allocate QANTAS Player of the Year points.

Crawley said it was obvious that opposing coach Matt Parish had shaped a good squad over time, tipping North Queenslands sister-club for a big year in 2007.

Theyve definitely improved and I know Matt is hoping to keep most of the players together for next year, Crawley said.

I believe theyll become a force in years to come. In particular I thought Misi Taulapapa had a strong game. If we hadnt marked Gavin Cooper up on him, Id say Misi would have caused us a lot of trouble.

North Queenslands own Players Player award went to teenage halfback Brady Payne, who with each game looks to be stepping up a notch.

Neil Sweeney and Ben Lowe were also strong and Crawley revealed afterwards that Lowe had gone within a whisker of making his NRL debut in previous weeks.

The Young Guns still occupy first place on the Wizard Cup ladder, but have Easts, Burleigh, Redcliffe, Wynnum Manly and Toowoomba in a tough run home.

At long odds to make the finals, Central has just four games left against Tweed Heads, Ipswich, Norths and Easts.

NORTH QUEENSLAND 22 (Neil Sweeney, Gavin Cooper, Ben Lowe, Brady Payne tries; Neil Sweeney 3 goals) d CENTRAL 4 (Misi Taulapapa try) at Browne Park.

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