The Norths Devils stormed home with a late rush of tries but it wasn’t enough to reel in Wynnum Manly Seagulls in an entertaining Intrust Super Cup clash at Bishop Park today.
In front of a bumper Sunday afternoon crowd, the Devils closed within a try of the Seagulls before the visitors scored against the run of play for a 34-24 win.
The Devils lamented a first-half lapse when the impressive Seagulls scored four tries in 17 minutes to scamper to a 30-10 halftime lead.
The Devils almost pulled that back, surging home to trail by only six points with two minutes remaining. They were again in scoring position but an attacking kick was snared by Wynnum fullback Edene Gebbie, who ran the length of the field from his in-goal area to score as the fulltime siren sounded.
The game was a match of two halves, reflected in the performance of Wynnum centre James Roberts whose electric first-half try was not matched by any memorable second-half moments.
Instead, the Devils piled on three tries, including two within three minutes to centre Luke Pollock.
However, the Devils couldn’t land the late blow to knock over the third-placed Seagulls.
The Devils will head to Rockhampton to meet CQ Capras next Sunday hoping to return to the top four.
The Devils needed the attacking spark that they have developed under coach Rohan Smith to get back into today’s match when it seemed to be slipping away.
That was most evident as they sliced through Wynnum’s edges in the second half as they held the tiring Seagulls scoreless for all but the last 10 seconds.
Wynnum started the match well, capitalising on a Norths error in the first set to score in the opening minute through former Devil Matiu Love-Henry.
Winger Delouise Hoeter scored in the sixth minute as Wynnum reached an 8-0 before the Devils hit back.
Troy Dargan’s try in the 13th minute brought the Devils back to 6-8 and promised a recovery for the strong home crowd.
But Wynnum kept ahead, weathering another try from winger Herbie Farnworth who continues to impress for the Devils.
Earlier, the Devils led early but were unable to hold off a fast-finishing Wynnum in the Hastings Deering Colts clash. The Seagulls won 34-18 despite early tries that put the Devils on a path to topple the second-placed Wynnum.
INTRUST SUPER CUP: WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 34 (Matiu Love-Henry 2, Deloiuse Hoeter, James Roberts, Alex Barr, Jayden Berrell, Edene Gebbie tries, Pat Templeman three goals) d NORTHS DEVILS 24 (Luke Pollock 2, Troy Dargan, Herbie Farnworth, Jack Ahearn tries, Farnworth 2 goals) at Bishop Park.
HASTINGS DEERING COLTS: WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 34 (Brock Richardson 2, Dredin Sorensen-McGee, Clayton Mack, Lachlan Perry, Zane Wallace tries; Shannon Gardiner 5 goals) def NORTHS DEVILS 18 (Jake Strasser, Daniel Atkinson, Michael McGrath tries; Joshua James 3 goals) at Bishop Park.
