Central Comets v Aspley Broncos

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

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

Aspley 32 def Central 28
Sun August 19, 2007
Source: www.qrl.com.au

Rookie sensation Rodney Davies may have cruelled his season with his last-tackle heroics for Aspley, tearing a hamstring as he scored the winning try in a 32-28 result over the Central Comets at Browne Park.

Behind 28-26 when a scrum packed with 18 seconds left in the clock, the Broncos ended their short-lived Wizard Cup existence with an audacious try on the hooter.

From the base of the scrum, departing half Ben Green kicked over the defence from 20m out, with noted speedster Davies flashing through to steal the game.

The irony of the situation was that Davies, a Rockhampton junior, grew up idolising the Comets and was a regular at home games with his father.

His game-clinching play followed the previous week's effort, when he was a clear standout in Aspley's defeat at the hands of Ipswich.

"Rodney was set to keep training with the Broncos (NRL squad), but I'd say he'll be out for a while with his hamstring now," coach Mark Gee lamented.

"He's had a really good year, especially in this last month since we've moved him to fullback. The improvement has been tremendous over the course of the season and he's taken another leap again."

Another to enjoy a purple patch of form in recent weeks has been Simona Vavega, earning opportunities through the drain of players to the NRL.

With Aspley once more undermanned, the 100kg Nambour junior packed down alongside 90kg Trent Callaghan in the front row at stages, rotating with the only recognised prop in Brynjar Ragnarsson.

Aspley led 22-8 at halftime and then 26-12 with 15 minutes on the clock, before the Comets came storming back before their home crowd.

Despite a number of team changes before kick-off and a 48-0 loss to Redcliffe a week earlier, Central had the belief to take the game right to the wire.

When the Comets hit the lead in the final minutes it looked like the silver lining on a difficult season, yielding just two wins to date.

But Aspley had plenty of motivation to finish the year strongly as well, with several key men departing and the squad set to be split by the National Under 20s and a change in feeder club arrangements for the Brisbane Broncos.

Ben Green, Brent McConnell, Gideon Mzembe and Jamie Simpson are among the players to depart; Simpson going on report in his last game for a dangerous throw in the 63rd minute.

Meanwhile coach Gee will mentor the Norths Devils in 2008. After stints at Burleigh, Toowoomba and Aspley, it will be his fourth club in four years.

While Aspley had a heart-stopping win in Wizard Cup to end the regular season, it also had a dramatic 36-4 victory against the Sunshine Coast in Colts. They had needed to win by 37 points to make the finals, but instead fell short of fifth-placed Wynnum Manly by less than a converted try in for-and-against.

Central's wooden spoon season was tempered by the fact the Comets had conceded fewer points per game (33.3) than any other last-placed side since the Wizard Cup became a season-long competition.

ASPLEY 32 (Gideon Mzembe 2, Troyden Edwards 2, Rodney Davies, Brent McConnell tries; Ben Green 3, Jamie Simpson goals) d CENTRAL 28 (Junior Auru 2, Nat Bowman, Guy Williams, Kam Wilkinson, Luke Fatnowna tries; Yoren Major, Todd Titmus goals) at Browne Park.

Report sent by: www.qrl.com.au

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