Round 8
Souths Logan Magpies 26 d. Norths Devils 24

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

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

Souths Get Their Freak On
Sun May 6, 2007
Source: www.qrl.com.au

A series of freakish tries has seen Souths Logan subdue the much-vaunted Norths Devils pack, resulting in a 26-24 victory to the Magpies at Davies Park.

Again proving to be the masters of ad lib play, the Magpies stole victory with a Daniel Sorbello try from a spilt bomb in the 71st minute.

The Black-and-Whites were thoroughly deserving in victory, scoring six tries to four against a Devils side that included New Zealand Test forwards Adam Blair and Matt Rua.

To get to the finishing post however they needed to survive a gallant fightback from the visitors and a woeful afternoon in the goal-kicking department.

Souths Logan led 18-6 at halftime, but then conceded three converted tries in six minutes after the break to trail 24-18.

The talking point of the first half was two sublime tries by centres Michael Anschau and Kyle Lodge, both coming from spectacular lead-up by Quentin Laulu-Togagae.

A former Norths player, Laulu-Togagae threw a looping no-look cut-out pass to his left in the 19th minute, collected by winger Tyrone Coppedge. At pace, Coppedge then hit the deck on his knees and threw the ball over his shoulder, with Anschau jumping full stretch to grab the pass and fall over the tryline.

The crowd had all of two minutes to collect its breath before the Magpies came up with another pearler, this time from a Brandon Costin banana kick. Laulu-Togagae had to fly through the air over the dead-ball line to collect the kick, flicking it in mere hope back to the field of play before Lodge slid in and grounded the try.

Norths blooded two debutants in Jharal Yow Yeh and Willis Grant and, while they made their mistakes, both showed promising signs for the future. Grant was particularly tough to tackle and it was he and centre Will Chambers that led the fightback by the Devils. Chambers scored tries in the 45th and 49th minutes before setting up Grant on a long range effort in the 51st minute.

Although Souths Logan scored another try through Coppedge, the Devils' accuracy with conversions was telling and they led 24-22 despite having one less try.

What the Magpies did have in their favour down the stretch was a fierce camaraderie and each time they forced a mistake or made a hard charge, teammates were quick to backslap and holler.

When Souths Logan finally scored the try to steal the lead, they held on grimly for the final nine minutes, with Darren Glase, Phil Dennis, Josh Griffith and Kieran Whalley all injured in another freak sequence of events. Norths' Brendan Afitu was another forced from the field.

Himself limping throughout the match, Kiwil prop Blair threw a pass at the death which could have sent PNG flyer Georg Kepa to the tryline, but it was ruled forward by the match officials.

Next week Norths tackles Burleigh in the ABC Match of the Round at 2pm at Bishop Park on Saturday. Souths Logan squares off against Tweed Heads at Davies Park at 3pm on Sunday.

SOUTHS LOGAN 26 (Daniel Sorbello, Mick Anschau, Kyle Lodge, Tyrone Coppedge, Scott Marks, Paul Stanley tries; Paul Rolls goal) d NORTHS 24 (Will Chambers 2, Matthew Bartlett, Willis Grant tries; Liam Foran 4 goals) at Davies Park.

News sent by: www.qrl.com.au

Advanced Search