Devils see the light after Tigers draw
Norths will relish the natural light at Wynnum Manly tomorrow as their BMD Premiership season continues with a clash with the Seagulls at Iona College.
The Devils’ 16-all draw with Brisbane Tigers last Sunday was far more eventful than the scoreline may suggest.
For a start, the game finished more than 24 hours after the Devils lined up for the kick-off.
On Saturday night, the teams were lined up and ready to play at Langlands Park when the lights failed. The Queensland Rugby League moved the match to the next day.
The Sunday clash finished in darkness because the lights still didn’t work.
The Devils mounted a stirring comeback in the fading light, recovering from a 16-6 deficit with two tries in three minutes to Annette Brander and Katherine Stevens.
The game was almost decided by a penalty goal from the Tigers’ Jamie-Lee Lewis. However, the kick hit the upright and fell into the hands of Devils captain Jada Ferguson.
The draw delivered Norths’ first point in its statewide women’s premiership history and boosted confidence for the clash with Wynnum Manly, seeking its first win of the season.
“Our players really fought hard last week to come back from that deficit,” Devils coach Zac Wallwork said.
“They never gave up and they dealt with some challenges having to come back for a second night to get the game started.
“That’s all a good learning curve for the players and it’s another step forward as we try to develop our combinations among the group.
“Wynnum Manly are always tough to play, especially with a big crowd expected at Iona College.”
The Seagulls have played previously at Iona College’s expansive grounds, bringing one match each season to the popular Catholic school. The Hostplus Cup clash between the Seagulls and Ipswich Jets will follow the BMD Premiership match.
The Devils started well last week with Ferguson’s spark delivering a kick-and-regather try in the 15th minute.
The captain was involved again in the vital try that tied the scores, sending a cut-out pass to Stevens to cross in the right corner.
Three minutes earlier, Brander’s powerful run found a hole through the Tigers and set up the Devils for a late rush.