Gritty Jets topple Brothers

Crippled by late withdrawals and injury, the Ipswich Jets had every right to drop their top-of-the-table clash with Logan Brothers on Saturday.

The Jets were reduced to 13 fit men by halftime and only used three interchanges for the match.

Somehow, they defied the odds for a 26-12 victory.

“We only brought down seventeen to the game, two pulled out in the warm up and then we had a concussion and dislocated shoulder,” Ipswich coach Mark Bishop said.

“The team worked really hard and deserved the result.”

On a heavy track at Civic Park, Ipswich held a 20-0 lead at halftime and weathered a second half Logan Brothers fight back.

Logan five-eighth Ihaka Watene and winger Dylan Taikato-Simpson went back-to-back after the break to reduce the margin to 12 points.

Errors from both teams punctuated the second half but the Jets closed it out on the back of the kicking game of halves Haydan Lipp and Chris Ash.

Lipp’s solo try in the 62nd minute sealed the game.

Another standout for Bishop was diminutive hooker Peter Whittaker .

The 20-year-old’s performance drew comparisons to club mate and Brisbane Broncos contracted livewire dummy half Matt Parcell.

Whittaker scooted away for a try in the first half, going twenty metres virtually untouched.

“They had some really big boys but he was up and into them all day… he’s electric and tough as nails,” Bishop said.

“We’ve got some quick blokes at the club and I’d love to see them go head-to-head over 20 metres.

“I think he used to have Matty (Parcell) covered in the Colts.”

Ipswich are now sole BRL leaders after four rounds but Bishop believes the side can improve and iron out kinks in a free-flowing  game plan.

“We’re following the same style (as the Intrust Super Cup side) but still need to realise when to throw the pass and when to keep it tight under pressure,” he explained.

“There are times when you need to rein it in… if you’ve got three men in the tackle, you’re getting pushed back and you try and throw a pass through your legs, it’s probably not the right play.

“It can be frustrating and sometimes you want to pull your hair out.

“But it’s always good to keep it alive and when you get it right… it’s great.”

The Jets now return home to North Ipswich Reserve to meet Redcliffe next Saturday.

In other round four fixtures, Wynnum Manly Redland City held off a fast-finishing Valleys Diehards to record a 36-28 victory.

At Purtell Park, Normanby Hounds registered their first win of the season, spoiling the 100th anniversary celebrations of West Brisbane Panthers.

Coached by Wayne Treleaven, a man with substantial rugby league background in the western suburbs, the Hounds’ defence saw them triumph 19-12.

RESULTS

WYNNUM MANLY REDLAND CITY SEAGULLS 36 (Hayden Crowley, Zach Koitka, David McKenna, Matthew Smith, Mitchell Moore, Brad Mana, Mitchell McMillan tries; Chris Green 3, Mitchell Moore goals) def VALLEYS DIEHARDS 28 (Aiona Nona 2, Joel Bailey, Reece Baker, Geoff Broome tries; Zach Lister 4 goals) at Emerson Park, Grange.

IPSWICH JETS 26 (Pat McCallum, Haydan Lipp, Peter Whittaker, Fakahoko Teutau tries; Haydan Lipp 5 goals) def LOGAN BROTHERS 12 (Dylan Taikato-Simpson, Ihaka Watene, Alex Taumaoe tries) at Civic Park, Logan Central.

CARINA v GATERS postponed to weekend of 16/17 May.

REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS v EASTS TIGERS postponed to weekend of 16/17 May.

NORMANBY HOUNDS 19 (Chris Taulagi, Jack Walters, Hansell Semau tries; Oliver Olds 3 goals; Oliver Olds field goal) def WEST BRISBANE PANTHERS 12 (Sebastian Sinapati, Kyran Tanuvasa tries; Andrew Gormley 2 goals) at Purtell Park, Bardon.

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LADDER

*Game in hand