QCup Rd 17 Easts 34 Burleigh 16

by NRL

A blistering start helped the Easts Tigers to a convincing 34-16 win over the Burleigh Bears at Langlands Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers came out of the blocks all guns blazing, crossing for three tries in the opening 12 minutes.

Head coach Troy McCarthy said his team let out some frustration in the opening exchanges after their last-gasp defeat at the hands of Wynnum Manly in the previous round.

"We didn't talk about it as a team but I thought (our start to the match) was a response from last week's disappointing loss," he said.

Five-eighth Cody Walker again played a leading hand for Easts along with tireless hooker McKanah Gibson while, in his 50th first grade appearance, Steven Thorpe celebrated by getting across the stripe himself.

"He's been concentrating on his defence of late?but today he put up his hand as the go forward man and really led through the middle," McCarthy said.

In what was a sign of things to come for the Bears, Walker stepped through some sloppy defence in just the fifth minute before young winger Corbin Kiernan finished off a long range break by centre Shea Moylan to give his team a 12-0 lead.

A penalty then gave the Tigers further field position and Eddie Tautali capitalised at full stretch in the right hand corner.

Trailing 18-0 after just 13 minutes, an error-riddled Bears side eventually worked themselves into the contest and were able to draw points when Blake Morrison hit a hole on the fringe.

Both teams fumbled their way through the remainder of the half before a seemingly invigorated Burleigh pressed the Tigers' line in the early stages of the second stanza.

However, Easts withstood the challenge and turned defence into attack when some more agile footwork saw Walker dance his way to the line in the 54th minute.

Thorpe then gave his side a 28-6 buffer thanks to a strong surge and one-handed put down in his milestone match.

The Bears managed two tries in the final 20 minutes but it proved too little too late.

As the race for spots in the top five heats up, the Tigers hold onto fourth position ahead of their grudge match against the sixth-placed Norths Devils at Bishop Park next Sunday.

EASTS TIGERS 34 (Cody Walker 2, Eddie Tautali, Corbin Kiernan, Leon Panapa, Steven Thorpe tries; Cody Walker 5 goals) def BURLEIGH BEARS 16 (Blake Morrison 2, Michael Brophy tries; Jordan Rankin 2 goals) at Langlands Park.

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