The Universities Rugby League Queensland competition is set for a thrilling finish with a three-club traffic jam at the top.
Following the semester break, all six clubs went back into battle last night.
Competition leaders Griffith Dragons were overcome by the University of Queensland Hounds 18-10 in a tight one at St Lucia.
The Hounds had a bare 12-10 margin at the break and the two teams fought through almost the entire second half without breaching the opposition line.
But a late try to Dom Ragoneisi - while one of his teammates was in the sin bin – sealed the win and a jump into first place on points differential.
But ACU proved they were the dark horses of the URLQ after coming from behind to beat the Panthers down on the Gold Coast.
The Griffith Gold Coast boys led 6-0 at halftime before ACU put on four second-half tries to run out 22-8 winners.
Prop Kirk Harding-Smith scored twice for the visitors.
At Logan the QUT Trouts beat some cold weather and the Griffith Redbacks 28-24.
The home team started well to lead 12-6, but before halftime the Trouts answered three times to take a 22-12 advantage.
QUT fullback Jacob Thomas gave his team some breathing room before Logan kept it tight when Itaru Matsuo went over with three minutes left.
Next week, ACU will have their premiership credentials tested when the Griffith Dragons head to Banyo, the Redbacks will host a Griffith battle with the Panthers, and the Trouts will travel to St Lucia to meet ladder leaders UQ Hounds.
URLQ ROUND 6 RESULTS
QUT TROUTS 28 (Jacob Thomas, Lachlan Plater, Danyon Pigeon, Richard Kay, Olufunso Olaleye tries; Kay 4 goals) defeated GRIFFITH LOGAN REDBACKS 24 (Hafiti Fuli, Itaru Matsuo, Storm Faagase, Andrew Taukalo tries; Trent Shield 4 goals) at Griffith Logan campus, Meadowbrook.
UQ HOUNDS 18 (Jeremiah Lale, Oscar Pannifex, Dom Ragoneisi tries; Aaron Werth 3 goals) defeated GRIFFITH DRAGONS 10 (Sean Dermba, Allen Rau tries; Dean Sheppard goal) at UQ Campus, St Lucia
ACU 22 (Kirk Harding-Smith, Isaac Goodwin, Bart Ritchie tries; Goodwin 3 goals) defeated GRIFFITH GC PANTHERS 8 (Levi Samuela try; Cody Feltham 2 goals) at Owen Park, Southport.
URLQ LADDER
14 points – UQ Hounds (+92), Griffith Dragons (+66), ACU (+12)
12 points – Griffith GC Panthers (-40)
10 points – QUT Trouts (-76)
8 points – Griffith Logan Redbacks (-50)
