Jets Zoom past Blackhawks
Monday, July 24, 2017
Photo: Ritchie Duce – Level Eleven Photography
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON QRL WEBSITE
http://www.qrl.com.au/news/2017/07/24/jets_zoom_past_black.html
By QRL Media,
The Jets and the Mendi Blackhawks took off to the home of Qantas in Winton for the battle of the air in the ‘Get in the Game’ Country Week round of the Intrust Super Cup on Saturday, July 22.
The Jets needed to keep winning to keep their 2017 season alive. While the Mendi Blackhawks would like nothing more than to end the season of their fierce rival.
JETS PENALTIES
The Mendi Blackhawks got away to a great start at the Eric Lenton Memorial Recreation Grounds on the back of a few penalties and the Jets defending their line for set after set when winger Jordan Drew scored on the right side to give Townsville the perfect start – up 4-0 after 10 minutes.
Tyson Lofipo answered the call for the Jets when five minutes later he scored under the posts and Wes Conlon gave the Jets the 6-4 lead after 15 minutes.
MARTIN HURT
The Jets lost second-rower Sam Martin with a knee injury and would play the match with 16 men, which made their must-win task a little harder.
Marion Seve then scored. Taking the ball on the right, he hit and spun his way through defenders to score under the posts.
Jets were up 12-4 after 18 minutes.
SECOND HALF
After halftime a calm Jets were looking to keep the momentum going while the Mendi Blackhawks were after a quick start.
The Mendi Blackhawks got what they were after when they scored the first two tries of the second half.
The first try came from Blake Leary who scored just after the break and the Intrust Super Cup’s leading points scorer Carlin Anderson added two points.
BLACKHAWKS HIT FRONT
Sione Lousi repeated the Mendi Blackhawks’ try-scoring effort to take the Blackhawks to 16-12 five minutes into the second stanza.
When Jonathon Rueben scored try 24 for this season the Jets could see 2017 in the review mirror at 20-12 with 30 minutes to go.
JETS RETURN FIRE
All year the Jets have looked to their front-row of Nat Neale and Tyson Lofipo and tonight wouldn’t be any different.
Tyson did the job in the first half and now it was Nat Neale’s turn with a try on the right side that Conlon converted for 20-18 with 18 minutes to go.
Luke Capewell then took the initiative on the Jets’ right edge and went straight through and scored to give the Jets a 22-20 lead with 13 minutes left.
The Jets were called upon again to defend their line countless times, turning the Mendi Blackhawks away with defence and the match ended Jets 22-20 over Townsville.
>> Catch up with the scoring summary and team lists at QRL Live
Ipswich Jets 22 (Tyson LOFIPO, Marion SEVE, Nat NEALE, Luke CAPEWELL tries; Wes CONLON 3 goals) def Townsville Blackhawks 20 (Jordan DREW, Blake LEARY, Sione LOUSI, Jonathon REUBEN tries; Carlin ANDERSON 2 goals)
