Round 17
Burleigh Bears 4 l. Toowoomba Clydesdales 26

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

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

Bears Face Shifting Sands
Mon July 17, 2006
Source: QRL

BURLEIGH has been confronted with the stark possibility it will miss the Wizard Cup finals for the first time since 1998, following an uninspiring 26-4 loss against Toowoomba at Pizzey Park.

Had he not been manning the panic stations before the weekend, Bears chief executive Adrian Vowles was getting reacquainted with them after falling perilously behind fifth-placed Tweed Heads.

Looking at it, youd probably have to say we need to win every game from here, assessed Vowles.

Not only does the result mark back-to-back losses for Burleigh at a vital time of the season, it virtually puts it two wins behind Tweed on the ladder.

While the Bears (14pts) only trail the Seagulls (16pts) by two points on standings, Wizard Cup rules state that the club with the most wins has priority. So far Burleigh has two draws this season and six wins, compared to Tweeds eight wins and no draws.

Even if the Bears were to finish on the same points with a superior for-and-against, Tweed would advance to the post-season. Thats without even considering that Burleigh has just four games remaining this season, while Tweed Heads has five.

In the rounds to come the Bears play Souths Logan (away), North Queensland (home) and Tweed Heads (away), before encountering the bye and finishing with a hit-out against Ipswich (away).

Tweed Heads plays Central (home), Easts (away), Burleigh (home), Redcliffe (away) and Wynnum Manly (home) over the same period.

If Burleigh can beat the Magpies and Young Guns in the coming fortnight, it will set the stage for a huge local derby at the Piggabeen Complex on Sunday, August 6.

Even Tweed coach Steve Murphy admitted on the weekend he had the date marked out on his calendar.

Although we are mindful of making the mistake of looking too far ahead, I can see there being a big game at Piggabeen, yeah, mused Murphy.

If Burleigh is to make things interesting, it will need a marked improvement on the weekends display, when the Bears trailed Toowoomba 12-0 at halftime and struggled to make inroads through the tough Clydesdales defence.

Matters werent helped when veteran forward Ali Brown was sent off for dissent with 30 minutes still to play, continuing a colourful history between the prop and referee Brett Suttor.

It didnt help, but thats not the reason we lost, said Vowles.

We were lethargic.

In contrast Toowoomba has reclaimed second spot on the ladder and only trails league leader North Queensland by two points.

TOOWOOMBA 26 (Joel Moon 2, Charlie Fetoai, Neville Costigan, Derricke Watkins tries; Ben Green 3 goals) d BURLEIGH 4 (Shane OFlangan try) at Pizzey Park.

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