Round 7
Norths Devils 10 l. Redcliffe Dolphins 44

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

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

Fins Hit Back In Style
Sun April 27, 2008
Source: www.qrl.com.au

Redcliffe is back in the winners' circle, thanks largely to an inspired performance from light-footed prop James Crombie who led the Dolphins to an emphatic win against Norths.

In a match which never reached great heights, Redcliffe's pack stood tall and showed the Dolphins still have some fight left in them.

Redcliffe coach Gary O'Brien was delighted with two points but claimed the Dolphins were not yet back on track.

"It was a breakthrough in the sense that we won, but I think next week against Burleigh will tell us how we are going," O'Brien said.

O'Brien said a lack of team cohesion had been behind the team's poor form so far this season.

"Everyone's been working hard, but maybe not being smart on the field," the former Logan coach said.

"We needed that win though."

In a sprightly first half, Norths tackled hard and in numbers, but they never looked like troubling the scorers due to a greenhorn pair of halves who couldn't deliver quality ball to their outside backs.

It also didn't help that they were being constantly pushed back by Crombie.

At times Crombie forgot he was a prop.

He would dance when approaching the defensive line and showed an array of jinks and side steps that would make Benji Marshall blush.

O'Brien couldn't speak highly enough of the afro haired 20-year-old, who was lured from Norths late last year.

"He has a lot of talent," O'Brien said.

"We have worked him hard at training and it's starting to pay off, but he has massive potential."

Kaine Manihera was also a standout for the Dolphins.

The pocket rocket kiwi, whose bullying runs resemble those of New Zealand international Matt Utai, had been plying his trade in the FOGS Cup for the first few rounds due to a lack of discipline.

"He is always committed in games, but it's not always the case at training," O'Brien said.

For Norths, whose average age was 21, their outside backs looked sharp, particularly 19 year-old fullback Willis Grant and 17-year-old winger Ryan Tongia.

REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 44 (Liam Georgetown 2, Chris Fox 2, Ryan Cullen, Shane Perry, Derricke Watkins, Tim Yee tries; Marty Turner 6 goals) def NORTHS DEVILS 10 (Willis Grant, Patrick Fray tries; Patrick Fray goal) at Bishop Park.

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