Barba gets 500th point for Jets in win over Dolphins

It’s no wonder Jets legend Kieron Lander said after the game it was one of the toughest matches he’d ever seen.

It didn’t take long for Jets flyer Marmin Barba, who started the game needing only two points to post 500 points in Jets colours, to get points on the board, kicking a penalty goal in the fifth minute to open the scoring.

The Dolphins struck back almost immediately with a penalty goal of their own to skipper Bryce Donovan.

It was the Dolphins who scored the first try when a clever pass from five-eighth Donovan sent big prop Jordan Grant through a hole as big as Sydney Heads to score untouched.

Ten minutes passed before Jets hooker Kierran Moseley took advantage of some lazy Dolphins defence to split the Dolphins line and send Julian Christian over for a try.

The next Jets try would have left Dolphins coach Adam Mogg fuming at his team’s lack of discipline and game awareness.

As two Dolphins defenders were arguing with the referee, Moseley took a quick tap and sprinted straight through the Dolphins defence before linking with the ever-present Barba, who raced away to score.

Dolphins back-rower Geraghty crossed for what would turn out to be last points the Dolphins would score in the match in the shadows of halftime.

At the break the Jets led the Dolphins 14-12.

The start of the second half left many of Dolphin Stadium's crowd shaking their heads in disbelief as the Jets went for a trademark short kick-off when Dolphins centre Izaia Perese went inside the 10 metres and touched the ball, giving the Jets a penalty.

For the next 30 minutes neither side could crack their opponents' defence despite having multiple opportunities.

As the troops began to fall and with both teams tiring, it looked like it was going to take something special to score a try.

Then Josh Cleeland made a half break before losing the ball backwards and Moseley was the man on the spot to score the match sealing try.

It was a fitting reward for Moseley, who was the man who created the first two tries for the Jets and caused a constant headache for the Dolphins defence.

Dolphins take on Townsville Blackhawks next week.

Jets face Norths Devils. 

* Jon Sloan is a Redcliffe Dolphins employee, but produces the match report as a Queensland Rugby League correspondent