Round 8
Easts Tigers 14 l. Ipswich Jets 36

2008 Wizard Queensland Cup Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats]

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

Hot Lewis Punishes Tigers
Sun May 4, 2008
Source: www.qrl.com.au

The Easts Tigers must be getting sick of the sight of Josh Lewis.

Last year, Lewis spearheaded the Ipswich Jets to an amazing last-gasp win to bundle the Tigers out of the Wizard Cup finals.

The unwanted Titan was at it again at Langlands Park on Saturday, igniting the Jets to a 36-14 round eight victory over an injury-hit Tigers outfit.

Lewis, who is slowly getting back to his best after off-season shoulder surgery, made the most of his promotion from the bench to the starting side.

His short kicking game was deadly accurate, resulting in tries on either side of the break for the table-topping Jets.

But it was his passing and running game which would have brought the biggest smile to coach Kevin Walters, who watched Lewis score a sizzling individual try late in the second half.

Easts coach Darren Smith conceded the Tigers struggled to contain Lewis in the second half.

"Next time, tell him to have a holiday when he plays us," Smith quipped.

"He scored a good try by taking on the line there as well. He is a quality player when he switches on. He was good for them."

While the Jets are riding high at the top of the competition, Smith's team is now languishing outside the top five after their fourth defeat of the season.

Easts, however, did show some promise in Saturday's match. The Tigers led 14-6 at half-time after the making most of the running in the first half.

Young prop Fred Tila set up the opening try of the match when he slipped a superb short ball on to the chest of a flying Scott Sipple.

The Tigers clawed their way to a 12-0 advantage in the 23rd minute when Isaac Kaufmann beat a feeble attempt from Leigh Coghill to race 40m and score from a scrum win.

"We competed well in the first half (and we) did everything that I asked of them. But just that half-time break killed us," Smith said.

"They're the benchmark the Ipswich Jets. They're the team to beat. They showed in the second half why they are the team to beat."

Ipswich scored 30 unanswered points in the second half, with the highlight being Donald Malone's 90m runaway try against his former club.

In a remarkable show of strength, the Jets have not conceded a second-half point since their round one clash with Wynnum Manly.

But coach Walters must be concerned about his team's slow starts. The Jets have conceded the opening two tries in their last four matches.

Ipswich entered Saturday's match without inspirational captain Danny Coburn (ankle injury). Veteran centre Jason Bulgarelli filled in admirably at lock.

Hooker Michael Ryan had another outstanding game for the Jets.

But the match ended disastrously for his opposite number - former Rabbitoh Trent Young.

Young was carried from the field with suspected knee ligament damage.

"The early prognosis looks like his season is done, so it's another one on the list," a shattered Smith said.

The injury is a massive blow for the Tigers, who already had Anthony Boyd, Cameron Durnford and Matt Gruszka on the sideline with long-term knee injuries before Saturday's match.

"That's rugby league. You have these years where you've got to persevere," Smith said.

Report sent by: www.qrl.com.au

Advanced Search