Round 9 of the In Safe Hands Cup produced three quality fixtures, with two sides turning a halftime deficit into a victory.
After a better defensive effort against Wynnum/Manly the week before, Logan Brothers took to the Ipswich Reserve with renewed confidence.
A fortunate start for Logan with L.J. Waddups regathering the ball after coping a ‘falcon’ (accidental header) to put the visitors on the scoreboard first. An Ipswich Jets crossfield kick inside their half had the long-striding Josh Damen power to the corner to open the Jets account.
A darting Jets run from dummy-half and an in-goal Logan error put two more tries on for last year’s grand finalists, to go to the sheds leading 14-6.
Logan returned to the Reserve still in the contest. From a penalty 10m out, L.J. Waddups started a backline movement that resulted in Evander Cummins scoring out wide. The big unit Reece Summer crashed over under the cross bar with a pair of Jets on his back to have nerves tested on both benches.
Enter Ono So’Oialo brilliance. A scrum win on Ipswich’s 20m line saw the fullback elude the defence to race the 80m to the chalk. Then another dummy-half dart from the Jets extended their lead. Logan’s Evander Cummins did his own dummy-half dance to cross over for his second, but the home side had done enough to close out the match for a valuable two points.
Jets coach Mark Bishop said: “We went away from what we were doing in the first half, and we had too many chiefs and not enough Indians out there in the second half.”
The Jets will be at home again on Saturday to the Dolphins, while Logan Brothers will be away again to Valleys at Emerson Park.
In the other two fixtures both home sides were behind at halftime before they surged away for the win.
Valleys led 20-10 at halftime before the Tigers came home strongly, again, to take the two points, 28-20. Easts coach David Krause might be hired out for his motivational speaking skills.
Danial Green had to do the same to bring the Redcliffe Dolphins back from 16-10 against the West Brisbane Panthers at halftime. A Curtis Johnston treble and a double from Mitch Wilson saw the Premiers turn the table on the Panthers. The home-side defence in the second half remained uncrossed to take the contest, 34-16.
Ipswich Jets 24 (tries; Ono So’Oialo, Mikaere Beattie, Josh Damen, Denzel King, Landon Hayes, goals; Tu’u Maori, Jaydon Conners) def Logan Brothers 20 (tries; Evander Cummins 2, LJ Waddups, Reece Summer, goals; Nick Doyle 2).
Easts 28 (tries Brandon Downey 2, James Salter, Christopher Ostwald, Michael Egan; goals Brandon Downey 4) def Valleys 20 (tries Matt Grieve, Joe McKenna, Rajan Opertia-Halls 2; goals Andy Lancaster 2)
Redcliffe Dolphins 34 (tries Curtis Johnston 3, Mitch Wilson 2, Jack Ahearn; goals Kyle Van Klaveren 4, Josh Beehag) def West Brisbane Panthers 16 (tries Paul Ulburg 2, Kalolo Saituia; goals Kane Zalewski 2)
