Chance for Dolphins to press for minor premiership
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AFTER a hard-fought 24-24 draw with Norths Devils in last weekend’s FOGS Colts match, the Redcliffe Dolphins will host Burleigh in a top of the table clash this Sunday. Just five points behind the competition leaders, this weekend’s match could prove to be a vital one for the Dolphins if they want to keep their minor premiership aspirations alive.
Despite their second half scare against the Devils, coach Brendan Lam praised his team’s strong defensive effort. Having shared the chocolates so far in 2014 with one win apiece, Lam maintained Burleigh were the team to beat and that his side would simply “concentrate on what we do” during training this week.
The Dolphins were impressive in their 38-16 round 1 victory over the Bears and only narrowly lost in Round 13, going down 18-16. Coming off the bye, the Bears will be steeling themselves to face a side that has not lost since that Round 13 encounter at Pizzey Park way back in May.
In last weekend’s other FOGS Colts matches, the Jets recorded their fifth win on the trot with a 26-12 victory over the Sunshine Coast Falcons, while Souths Logan (52-16) and Tweed Heads (54-24) both enjoyed comfortable wins over Easts Tigers and the Toowoomba Clydesdales respectively.
Round 23 sees last year’s premiers Easts Tigers at home to the in-form Jets, with a loss here mathematically ruling out any chance the Ipswich side have of making the finals. Only a game outside third position, Souths Logan will look to continue their run to September when they play the Toowoomba Clydesdales at Brandon Park, while it’s Seagull against Seagull as Tweed Heads tackle Wynnum Manly at Bycroft Oval.
In the FOGS Cup, a Mitchell Krause hat-trick led Wynnum Manly to a 25-12 victory over Redcliffe in their top of the table clash at Dolphin Oval, while Ipswich comfortably accounted for Carina 54-12 and Norths ran in eight tries to two for a 46-8 win over Souths Logan.
This week’s Round 21 action includes a third versus fourth showdown between Easts and Ipswich at Langlands Park, with the Jets wary of a loss heading into the bye next week. Wynnum Manly will look to remain in touch with ladder-leaders Redcliffe when they take on Souths Logan at Acacia Ridge, and the Dolphins are at home to Norths Devils.
