Norths have crossed another block off their Hostplus Cup season with a win over rivals Redcliffe Dolphins, setting the Devils for a run to the finals.
The 40-36 win at Bishop Park on Sunday ended a five-match block between byes that produced four wins for the Devils.
Coach Dave Elliott’s team now sits in second place on the ladder with an 11-4 record, three points clear of third.
This weekend’s bye will be followed by five consecutive matches that will form the Devils’ next block before the finals.
Elliott has broken the season into sections to provide the Devils with a short-term focus across the year.
They have won eight of their past nine matches but the Devils will stew over a defensive lapse that eroded their 24-point lead over the Dolphins midway through the second half.
The Dolphins scored in the last minute to trim the margin and level the aggregate between the teams in their two matches this season. The Devils retained the Kav Cup – named after former Devil and Dolphin Steve Kavanagh – which is contested between the rivals each year.
“We have targeted blocks of games this year as a way to focus along a long year,” Elliott said.
“We’ve got a new block of five games coming up to finish the regular season but we know that we have a lot of improvement in us.
“We are still working towards the consistency across a match that we will need if we qualify for the finals.
“We’ve played really well in patches but we know that there are other times when we haven’t reached the standards that we set ourselves.”
Redcliffe opened the scoring last Sunday after six minutes when Dolphins NRL squad member Val Te Whare scored the first of his three tries.
But the Devils won the battle of that side of the field as they caused trouble at times down their right attacking edge.
Dolphins NRL centre Tesi Niu, in his best game for the Devils this season, hit back with a try in the 13th minute.
The Devils blew the game open with three tries in the 10 minutes before halftime including an 80-metre try on halftime sparked by five-eighth Julian Christian and finished by fullback Jordan Lipp.
Tireless second-rower Jeremiah Simbiken scored two tries either side of halftime – the second from Christian’s kick – to propel the Devils to a comfortable lead.
The Devils were excited for debutant centre Isiah Lealiiee who scored in the 54th minute.
Lealiiee became Devil No.1361 after minor injuries to backs Jacob Gagan and Blake Paskins.
Elliott praised Lealiiee’s commitment to the Devils as he earned his path from a pre-season trial into the top squad, starting alongside his former primary school mate Niu.
The Devils again had good players across the field, receiving typical service from the front row of captain Kierran Moseley, Tuki Simpkins and Cooper Jenkins.
The all-Dolphins NRL starting backrow of Simbiken, Oryn Keeley and Mason Teague were again hungry to perform well.
Halfback Jack Ahearn returned after missing the Devils’ previous game, joining Christian in steering a backline that included the usual attacking hauls from back three Lipp, Manase Kaho and Andre Niko.
Lipp (16 tries) and Kaho (15) have established a break in the race to be the competition’s leading tryscorer with former Devils premiership winger Brayden McGrady (11) in third place.
Norths received good service from a bench that included Devils junior Zak McGuire, James Flack, Sam Elliott and George Fai.
The Devils will head for Bowen for their next match, meeting Mackay Cutters in the annual Country Week clash on Saturday week.
NORTHS DEVILS 40 (Jeremiah Simbiken 2, Jordan Lipp 2, Tesi Niu, Andre Niko, Isaiah Lealiiee tries, Niko 6 goals) bt REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 36 (Valynce Te Whare 3, Max Bailey, Brenton Baira, Sheldon Pitama, John Fineanganofo tries, Baira 3 goals, Fineanganofo goal) at Bishop Park.
