Round 11
Redcliffe Dolphins 46 d. North Qld Young Guns 32

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

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

Perry responds to Broncos dumping
Mon May 28, 2007
Source: www.qrl.com.au

RELEGATED Bronco Shane Perry put the ball on a string in a masterful performance for Redcliffe on Saturday, leading the Dolphins to top spot with a 46-32 win against North Queensland.

The Dolphins started the game 10 points in arrears of the Young Guns, as classy utility Col Wilkie cut the reigning premiers to ribbons in the opening sequence. Wilkie scored an incredibly soft try from dummy-half in just the sixth minute, then in the very next set created a try for Jamie Frizzo from 70m out.

Redcliffe was staring at a thumping from a depleted opposition and it would have heaped even more weight on the shoulders of Perry, a scapegoat for Brisbane's poor form in the NRL.

It was a credit to the veteran playmaker that he should respond with a man of the match performance, setting up four tries, saving a certain other and creating untold pressure throughout the match with his kicking game.

Only five days earlier the 30-year-old had been lambasted for his last-tackle options. He seemed like a completely different person altogether as he brought up his 100th game in Redcliffe colours.

His first telling contribution came with a grubber on the left of the ruck in the 15th minute, the ball watched for an eternity by Young Guns winger Karl Johnson before Redcliffe centre Matt Harris pounced.

After stunning individuals tries by Nick Emmett and Ryan Cullen, Perry was again at the fore, sending a charging Palmer Wapau over in the 34th minute for a 24-16 advantage. Three minutes later the nuggety halfback provided a piece of magic in cover defence, retreating at pace and intercepting the ball just as North Queensland looked like scoring.

The Young Guns did eventually find the tryline however and a redeeming try to Johnson on the halftime siren had the match precariously poised at 24-20.

Jackson Nicolau was cursing his luck at the resumption of play, almost sending the ball out of the park with an errant kick-off to the western side of the ground. Perry made the Guns pay full price for the mistake, floating another kick wide for Rory Bromley to score at the first available opportunity.

That made it 30-20 to the Dolphins, only for North Queensland to come surging back once again. Successive tries to Keiron Lander and Jamie Frzzo amended the scoreline to 32-30 and now it was the northerners in front.

Again it was time for Perry to step up. A deep kick trapped Toshio Laiseni in-goal, forcing a drop-out. Then a chip over the top for Marty Turner almost worked a treat. Finally Perry resorted to his hands and propelled a great second-man pass to Nick Walker, who did equally well to pop the ball for a flying Ryan Cullen.

From there Redcliffe closed out the game in composed fashion. Perry bent a banana kick which Shane Muspratt dropped cold under the posts. Turner crossed soon after, making for an individual haul of 18 points in the match. The contest ended with ageless Troy Lindsay putting an exclamation mark on the victory, surging through the defensive line and bumping off defenders for a rare try.

After grabbing first spot Redcliffe has the bye in Round 12, while North Queensland tackles Aspley at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday at 5.30pm

REDCLIFFE 46 (Ryan Cullen 2, Nick Emmett, Matt Harris, Rory Bromley, Marty Turner, Troy Lindsay, palmer Wapau tries; Marty Turner 7 goals) d NORTH QUEENSLAND 32 (Jamie Frizzo 2, Karl Johnson, Toshio Laiseni, Col Wilkie, Keiron Lander tries; Jackson Nicolau 4 goals) at Dolphin Oval.

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