Round 1
Tweed Heads 32 l. Norths Devils 46

2007 Wizard Queensland Cup Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Tagataese grabs four as Devils upstage Tweed Heads
Mon March 19, 2007
Source: www.qrl.com.au

With his hair in plaits, rugged backrower Sam Tagataese tied up a winning start to the season for Norths, scoring four tries as the Devils defeated Tweed Heads 46-32 at Suncorp Stadium.

Tweed had pulled several surprise maneuvers on match day, adding the Gold Coast Titans quintet of Matt Petersen, David Myles, Brett Delaney, Michael Hodgson and Daniel Conn.

However the reinforcements couldn't help sway the result, as Tagataese posted his first three tries before the 24th minute, running like a bull at a gate and hitting holes with precision.

Matching his effort, the widely-experienced Petersen also had a hat-trick for the Seagulls in the first half, including one beauty where he leapt high above Luke Samoa to grab a Brad Davis cross-kick.

Yet Petersen was out of action by halftime, carried off after what looked to be a high ankle sprain on his right leg. Concussed hooker Matt King also needed assistance from the field, but returned bravely in the second half.

Adding further to Tweed's woes, Brett Delaney couldn't buy a goal to start the game, missing all three shots from out wide.

The Seagulls had to amend a 26-12 halftime deficit and they showed some promise, with the elusive James Wood splitting the defence and running 65m up the middle of the park. In comparison Norths started to splutter, committing a number of infringements and dropping the ball as they worked off their line.

The telling play of the game came in the 45th minute with Tweed behind 26-18. Towering Seagulls centre Josh Vaughan dived for the corner, but was dragged over inches short of the line.

It snuffed out the Seagulls' brief revival and from there Norths scored the next three tries.

New Tweed head coach Troy McCarthy would have been particularly displeased with a soft effort from his men at a vital juncture in the 54th minute, allowing Ryan Shortland to dive over from dummy-half after it looked like Norths had run out of options.

Fellow debutant coach Kevin Carmichael would have also been concerned that his side could leak 32 points in a victory, but there were good signs from the Devils.

Aside from Tagataese, 18-year-old centre Will Chambers was highly impressive, scoring two tries but more importantly lining up his men in defence. At one point in the second half the youngster pulled off a bone-rattler on Tweed front rower Matt Austin and he refused to be intimidated when niggle entered the game at various stages.

Journeyman half Russell Aitken was another to perform well, helping his outside men find holes consistently throughout the game.

Round Two sees Norths host Wynnum Manly at Bishop Park on Sunday at 3pm. Meanwhile Tweed Heads has the bye.

NORTHS 46 (Sam Tagataese 4, Will Chambers 2, Kieran Turner, Ryan Shortland, Anthony Perkins tries; Luke Samoa 5 goals) d TWEED HEADS 32 (Matt Petersen 3, James Wood, David Myles, Nathanael Barnes, Andrew Moroney tries; Brett Delaney, Brad Davis goal) at Suncorp Stadium.

Report sent by: www.qrl.com.au

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