Wane bags double in win

HEAD coach Matthew Church praised his SP Hunters’ attack and discipline for Saturday’s 36-22 win over Hostplus Cup runners-up Wynnum Manly Seagulls at BMD Kougari Oval in Queensland.
“We showed what we can do when we execute our game plan,” he said this following his side’s fourth win of the season.
“Our intent was good.
“We won the collision which allowed us to get over the advantage line and play our footy.
“Our discipline was really pleasing.”
Church praised captain Keven Appo, who was immense in moving to the middle and playing the full 80 minutes for the visitors.
“Keven was great for us,” he said.
“He gets through so much work and really tightened us up through the middle.
“It was a real captain’s knock.”
In picturesque conditions at BMD Kougari Oval, the Hunters embraced the lively Wynnum crowd and their intent was evident from the kick-off.
They worked into attacking field position confidently with just their second possession and looked dangerous with the ball until some resolute Seagulls’ defence forced the first error of the match.
Marching up-field in response, it was Wynnum who went on the attack next.
They looked to have scored courtesy of a smooth right edge shift only for Hunters back-rower Kitron Laka to appear out of nowhere in cover and knock the ball loose over the line, saving a certain try.
Discipline was the telling difference between this Hunters side and the one that lost to Ipswich in the previous match.
The Hunters poured through the middle as their middles consistently bent the line in yardage and got through their sets.
A new-look halves pairing of Kingstimer Paraia and Judah Rimbu were allowed to play over the advantage line as a result, kicking smartly to the corners to slowly win field position for their team.
With every set the Hunters completed, they looked more likely to crack Wynnum’s line, and sure enough when a lock-in defensive set forced a Seagulls error deep in their own half, the Hunters capitalised with cold efficiency.
Targeting the middle, the Hunters compressed Wynnum’s line, thanks to Paraia’s work around the ruck before shifting quickly to Rimbu on the left edge.
Taking possession in space, Rimbu straightened the attack nicely to drop a charging Laka back against the grain to score in the 11th minute, backing up his try-saving effort down the other end to open the scoring for the Hunters.
Wynnum were next to score in what was becoming a fierce and seesawing contest.
When the Hunters failed to find touch with a penalty kick in yardage, the Seagulls took advantage of the field position to score through Dredin Sorensen in a carbon copy of their first attacking raid down that edge.
Sorensen would not be denied by the cover defence twice though, stepping back inside his opposite man to dive over in the right corner.
The game quickly settled into a grind, with highlight moments mostly coming in defence.
A few crunching shots from the Hunters’ Sylvester Namo and Dilbert Isaac on former teammate Epel Kapinias – coming off the bench for Wynnum on Saturday – typified the visitors’ intent.
Neither side looked in danger of conceding next points as both defensive systems held, until Hunters hooker Wesser Tenza took the field late in the first half and for immediate effect.
Showcasing nice skill and deception from behind the ruck, Tenza worked over Wynnum’s middle defence.
He first got lucky when a loose pass hit the deck, taking a friendly bounce for Appo to pluck off his laces and dive over to score, giving the Hunters a 12-4 lead.
Tenza’s next two involvements were less opportunistic.
Junior Rop was Tenza’s next target close to the line, collecting a subtle and accurate pass this time from Tenza who was making a mockery of the Seagulls’ ruck defence.
Not long after halftime, Tenza again smartly worked his forwards into good field position before some lovely sleight-of-hand and a clever pass put Ila Alu over beside the posts in the 43rd minute, capping off a three try-assist frenzy from the rake either side of the break.
On the back of the momentum Tenza helped to create around the ruck, the Hunters’ right edge came alive.
Hunters centre Roderick Tai made multiple half-breaks in the second stanza with his footwork and strength through contact terrorising Wynnum’s edge defence.
Sure enough, Tai busted the line, working out his own end in the 46th minute and winger Solo Wane provided the speed and support to turn the half chance into points.
With a 30-4 lead midway through the second half, the Hunters’ were perhaps guilty of taking their foot off the pedal.
The Seagulls showed great resilience to threaten a late comeback, running in three tries in quick succession to narrow the Hunters’ lead to eight.
The Hunters held their nerve though, absorbing the pressure of a fast-finishing Seagulls outfit to eventually force an error in the 76th minute as Wynnum tried to shift it left.
Wane pounced on the loose ball and raced 70m up-field to seal the result for the Hunters.
Results: Sat, July 9 – Wynnum Manly 22 Hunters 36, Capras 22 Falcons 20, Blackhawks 72 Magpies 0, Bears 52 Jets 10, Dolphins 30 Tweed Heads 4; Sun, July 10 – Devils 38 Cutters 20, Tigers 14 Pride 12.