A free flowing game of rugby league was in order between Wynnum Juniors and Easts Carina in front of a decent home crowd at Kitchener Park.
The Seagulls turned it on for their supporters with some enterprising play which saw them eventually get home over the Tigers 34-16.
In blustery conditions, both sides from the outset were in winner’s mode and some heavy contact early on was separating the men from the boys.
Wynnum who now sit in third spot, were brilliantly led in attack by their lock and second rowers laying the platform for the Seagulls first try when the halfback scooted from dummy half and threw a beautiful pass out to replacement No. 17 to score in the corner.
With the sideline conversion hitting the upright, Wynnum were first to hit the scoresheet.
Carina who were also in the mood to score tries were next to score and their clever halfback chipped and chased for himself, regathered and scored beside the posts leaving the Wynnum defence red faced with no fullback at home. The simplest of conversions was strangely missed from nearly right in front and it was a tied ball game early on in the mix.
It appeared that the Seagulls had gone to sleep early on with the Tigers scoring once again in the space of five mins with a barging run by their lock forward who took three players with him over the tryline to score. Conversion was unsuccessful and the Tigers were leading 10-4.
It was their nimble little halfback once again for Carina who was toying with the Wynnum defence and on the end of a great burst by the Carina hooker; he took delivery of a nice pass to score under the posts. With the conversion successful it was Carina in a commanding lead at 16-4.
But just as the Tigers thought that they would be racking up a cricket score on their opposition’s home soil, it was damaging replacement player No. 17 for Wynnum who was proving to be a handful out wide and waltzed in for his second try of the afternoon. The tricky conversion in the blustery conditions sailed over the black dot and the Seagulls were closing the gap at 16-10.
Lady luck was now on the Seagulls side as a beautiful kicking display by their lock forward had the Seagulls up inside the Tigers 20m line and within minutes of the last try, it was almost groundhog day when No. 17 again smashed his way through the flimsy Tigers defence to post his hat trick and see the Seagulls hit the lead. With the hooter sounding for halftime, the score was now Carina 16 Wynnum 14.
Things only got better for Wynnum in the second half and came out a far more committed side and within a minute they were in yet again with a barging run by their second rower who easily outmuscled his opposition to go in and score. With the windy conditions playing havoc with goal kickers and the conversion waved away, it was Wynnum who had now hit the lead 20-16.
Wynnum’s finesse with the ball and Carina’s contention with mounting pressure from the gun Seagulls side soon resulted in yet another try and this time belonging to No. 3 for Wynnum who outpaced his opposite number to score.
Wynnum’s halves pairing and their lock forward were simply blistering in the second half and the trio set up a beautiful backline move from the scrum to feed Wynnum’s other centre to score out wide. The Seagulls were now hitting their straps at 28-16.
Tempers were starting to take control in the latter stages of the match and after repeated indiscretions by a Wynnum player; he was sensationally marched and sent off by the referee who had to restore order.
Once the dust had settled and now down to 12 men, Wynnum would have the last say in the match. Carina, who was giving it their all to score one last try, dropped the ball on the halfway line and it was scooped up by No.5 for Wynnum who raced 40m to score with every Wynnum supporter right behind him as he raced down the sideline.
