Norths have rebounded from their only consecutive losses for the season and strengthened their hold on second spot heading into Saturday night’s final Hostplus Cup regular season match.
The Devils will host the Sunshine Coast Falcons at Bishop Park, knowing that a win will secure a home semi-final the following weekend.
Last Saturday’s 40-22 win over the Capras in Rockhampton bounced the Devils off losses to Tweed Seagulls and Wynnum Manly in previous weekends – the only time this season Norths have lost consecutive games.
The Devils’ 13-6 win-loss record has them two points clear of Redcliffe in third place.
The Falcons are fourth and four points behind the Devils.
Redcliffe will host Mackay Cutters on Saturday, knowing they can only reach the top two if they win, the Devils lose and the Dolphins turn around Norths’ superior points for-and-against record.
Devils coach Dave Elliott said the win over the Capras, featuring seven tries, was a positive sign for Norths but the team knew it had to take that progress into a tough match-up with the Falcons.
“We were certainly better at important times against the Capras and it’s never easy to win in Rockhampton because they’re a quality team,” Elliott said.
“But we know that there are still areas we can improve and we’ve been focusing on those.
“This is our last game before the finals and the Falcons will be very keen to hold on to their top-four spot so they will be a real challenge.”
The Falcons are caught in one of the most intriguing finals rounds in recent Cup history.
Nine teams are in the running for the top eight places for the finals.
Northern Pride are assured of the minor premiership while the Devils and Dolphins can’t be moved out of the top four.
But that’s as certain as it gets.
PNG Hunters and Burleigh can still make the top four. Wynnum Manly could also make the top four or finish as low as eighth such is the tightness of the ladder with three points separating fourth to ninth.
The Devils have avoided the traffic jam through their slick mid-season run of eight wins from nine matches.
But the Devils had to show improvement into the finals and they did that against the Capras, starting with Jeremiah Simbiken’s try in the fifth minute from captain Kierran Moseley’s dummy-half pass.
Four minutes later, Blake Paskins’ step and score from James Flack’s offload had the Devils off to a quick start.
After tries to Moseley (26th) and Sam Elliott (36th minute), from Julian Christian’s pass from dummy-half, the Devils had a 22-6 lead late in the first half.
But tries to the Capras either side of halftime put the game back on the line.
“That’s one area that we really want to tighten up because we conceded those tries within a few minutes of halftime which made our job more difficult,” Elliott said.
The Capras closed within two points with 25 minutes remaining before the Devils shut out the game in style.
Fullback Jordan Lipp rejoined teammate Manase Kaho at the top of the competition’s leading tryscorer list when he took Jack Ahearn’s pass to the line in the 59th minute.
Prop Cooper Jenkins was rewarded for his powerful work with a try before centre Jacob Gagan finished off a 95-metre try involving Kaho and Ahearn on the breakaway from the Capras.
The Devils again had strong players across the park including Dolphins NRL lock Mason Teague who has been excellent for Norths.
NORTHS DEVILS 40 (Jeremiah Simbiken, Blake Paskins, Kierran Moseley, Sam Elliott, Jordan Lipp, Cooper Jenkins, Jacob Gagan tries, Lipp 6 goals) bt CQ CAPRAS 22 (Tom Farr, Aaron Moore, Harrison Leonard, Zev John tries, Blake Moore 2 goals, Trey Moore goal) at Rugby Park, Rockhampton.
