Blackhawks run riot against Capras – Round 4 Game Wrap
Monday, March 30, 2015
It was a rugby league fan’s dream at Jack Manski Oval on Saturday, four games of football and four wins for the local teams. The new big screen at Jack Manski Oval got its first serious trial run as there were many points scored during the two wins to the Townsville Stingers in the Cyril Connell Cup and the Mal Meninga Cup. As the crowd started to build the Cowboys NYC team took to the field to take on the Melbourne Storm. The local boys ran in early tries to establish a 20-0 lead by the half way mark, much to the crowd’s delight. The eventual score was a runaway win to the Cowboys with the team running in 10 tries to 1.
The main game began with a minute of silence to honour the passing of Robert Lui’s grandmother Eneme Ghee. There were moving scenes as the CQ Capras and the Mendi Blackhawks gathered in team huddles centre field. The emotion was apparent in the Mendi Blackhawks squad as they took to the field with serious intent. After an emphatic win last week over the Northern Pride the team were again clinical in attack from the outset as they ran in two tries in the first ten minutes, Robert Lui converted both taking the score to 12 nil.
By midway through the first half the Mendi Blackhawks were leading 18 nil after Rhyse Martin crossed for his first try. He would later go on to score three more tries in an outstanding display of strength and agility for the home side. The man of the match was almost unstoppable as he stormed to the top of the Intrust Super Cup Try Scoring leaderboard with a barnstorming performance against the Capras.
“I was really committed to improving on my performance against the Jets. I wanted to be aggressive and have good strong carries. As a team we are focusing on grinding the other teams down, forcing them to make a lot of tackles to deplete their energy when it comes to attack. We are working well as a team and just getting those little things right.” Martin said.
In a similar display to the round three match against the Pride; the Mendi Blackhawks denied the Capras attacking opportunities and when they did have possession the Blackhawks defensive line was close to impenetrable during the first half.
Playmaker Michael Parker-Walshe was a constant threatening presence steering his side around the paddock with ease. His 25th minute cut out pass put Moses Pangai over in the corner and took the score to 24-0. The points continued to come for the on song Mendi Blackhawks as winger Zac Santo scored in the same corner 6 minutes from half time sending the team to the sheds with a dominant 28-0 score line over a tired CQ Capras lineup.
The second half began in much the same manner as the first with sharp attacking plays leading to two tries in quick succession to a spirited Martin who used his size and pace, attracting half of the Capras defensive line, as he took his try count to three at the 52nd minute mark.
The next points came from the visitors as the Capras backed up brilliantly in attack after a line break lead to an impressive team try eventually scored by Pearson, taking the score to 40 points to 6 with nineteen minutes left in the match. The Capras showed some fighting spirit as fullback Javarn White backed up the first try with another soon after. Displaying a clean set of heels on his way to the line taking the score to 40-12.
But the Mendi Blackhawks were far from finished. In the 76th minute a flying Tom Humble darted through the Capras line and launched downfield on his way to the try line. Humble almost made it all the way but looming defense forced a tip off to fast finishing fullback Jahrome Hughes to put the ball down in the corner extending the lead to 44-12 with barely three minutes remaining in the match. Minutes later Rhyse Martin crossed for his fourth and final try of the game which lead to a huge roar from the home crowd and the Mendi Blackhawks had for the second week in a row amassed a half century of points.
Coach Kristian Woolf was happy with this side’s effort but again played down the favourites tag, “Our first half was clinical and our defense was really solid for the majority of that game. I think our defense is improving game by game.”
“It was great to back up the win against the Pride with another win and it provides us with some consistency which we will need moving into the next four rounds. We face some tough opposition in Wynnum, Souths, Redcliffe and Easts. I expect those games to be hard fought and this week’s win will give us some confidence heading into that.”
“I thought our halves Parker-Walshe and Lui really combined well and controlled the game. Ant Mitchell and Ray were sharp out of dummy half and Jahrome Hughes was again solid at the back.”
“Rhyse was a standout, he was strong through the line and came up with four tries. He played 80 minutes too, that’s a special effort.”
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 50 (Humble, Costigan, Martin (4), Pangai, Santo, Hughes tries; Lui (6), Feldt (1) goals) def CQ CAPRAS 12 (Pearson, White tries; Minto 2 goals) at JACK MANSKI OVAL.
*Outstanding Photo Gallery courtesy of Miss Alix Sweeney
