Courtesy of the Daily Mercury
CUTTERS coach Paul Bramley labelled his team lethargic after its five-game winning streak and unbeaten run on home soil this season was jolted by an imposing Norths unit at South Mackay yesterday.
“We lacked a lot of energy,” he said after the Cutters slipped to sixth place on the Intrust Super Cup ladder with a 28-26 loss at the Junior Rugby League Grounds.
“We were very flat in our final training run and I was a bit worried about it,” Bramley said.
“I sort of had a gut feeling about this game. It’s disappointing.”
Bramley said the team’s intensity was found wanting after the bye last weekend.
“Maybe that week off just flattened us too much,” he said.
But it was the visitors who seemed sluggish in the opening minutes of the contest, played in front of a sizeable crowd.
Josh Hannay’s kick-off was spilled by the Devils and the Cutters made them pay when Grant Rovelli crafted a neat outside ball to new Cowboys recruit Arana Taumata to open their account.
A strong run from Norths prop Mark Leafa led to a try to winger Kayle Connor and the Devils bagged another four-pointer when fullback Khan Ahwang, who was a late call-up to the Cutters, had the ball taken from his hands by Troyden Watene, despite protests from the crowd that there were two tacklers present.
The hosts levelled the scores at 10-apiece when Todd Seymour’s pass found a rampaging Darren Griffiths.
Seymour was back in the action when he produced a try-saving tackle on Watene minutes later.
The Cutters crossed the try line after the interval but Taumata was deemed to be in an offside position when Rovelli produced a deft grubber.
In the next set, Norths pivot Shane Perry helped Brendon Gibb to a try on the left side.
Perry then broke the defensive line to set up a try for Jack Reed and the Norths ball-player was at it again when his bomb was clasped by Javarn White who passed to Reed for a try in the corner despite some suggestions that White may have been tackled before offloading the ball.
A searching run from Cutters back-rower Jardine Bobongie helped Rovelli find space to chip to Michael Comerford in the corner for a four-pointer. Then Ahwang’s successful leap on the try line helped the Cutters to within eight points with five minutes to go.
A sweeping movement eventually led to a try to Cutters prop Isaak Ah Mau and Hannay’s conversion brought the deficit back to two with three minutes to play but their comeback was cut short.
Hannay and Taumata played in the centres to cover the absence of representative players Donald Malone (Queensland Residents duty) and Tyson Martin (ankle).
“I thought Josh was very good defensively and I thought Arana looked pretty sharp,” Bramley said.
“I don’t know whether we’ll see much of him but I wouldn’t mind having him for another week.”
Ahwang made his state league debut when regular custodian Justin Hunt (hip) was ruled out on game day.
He made a tentative start but bounced back to score a try in the second half.
“Khan did a great job but we missed Justin today,” Bramley said.
“They (Norths) were very physical and we had a real lack of energy through the middle and that’s been our bread and butter and Justin would normally spark something there.”
After running down a 16-point margin against Redcliffe a fortnight ago, Bramley was pleased to see the Cutters come close to reeling in an 18-point deficit this time around.
“We don’t give up. There’s a really good feeling amongst the group that it’s never over, no matter what the scoreline is,” he said.
Utility Shane Muspratt showed courage to stay on the paddock after suffering concussion while Darren Griffiths is sporting a gash on top of his head.
Mackay hosts fifth-placed Burleigh in a crucial clash at home on Saturday.
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