Cutters Colts end Tigers' finals campaign

The Tigers were bolstered by five Intrust Super Cup-experienced players dropping back (Zac Croft, Solomona Faataape, Joe Gilmour, Jonah Glover and Ronald Philitoga) with last weekend being the final competition round in the senior statewide competition.

In an interesting twist of fate, these two sides met last weekend, but unlike last week’s clash against where the first try was scored in the opening minute, this time it took 14 minutes for a try to be scored by either side.

The first came off an 80-metre intercept which landed in the hands of Tigers winger Croft.

Exactly four minutes later, Tigers centre Solomona Faataape busted through the line and a great individual tries fending off the Cutters fullback in the process.

The Cutters were gifted with excellent field position after a Tigers error 20-metres out from the try-line, and threatened to score twice, but the Tigers defence was too strong.

More razzle dazzle was shown by the Cutters and after slicing through some weak Tigers defence, the North Queensland side scored their first try of the game through their halfback Henri Stocks.

Tigers hooker Justin Smith looked to get his first try of the game, but was deemed to have impeded the defence from dummy half two metres out from the try-line.

Mackay hit right back in the next set through centre Josh Smith, who broke through the line before offloading to halfback Henri Stocks, who offloaded to hooker Blake Paskins to score their second try and reduced the Tigers halftime lead to four points.

The second half would be dominated by the Cutters, scoring 28 unanswered points with tries to Jack Hoffman, Tyler Holmes, Josh Smith and Henri Stocks.

Second half errors by the Tigers substantially grew and unfortunately for the Brisbane side, they were unable to get back in the game.

Despite bowing out in the first weekend of the finals, congratulations should be paid to the Brisbane Tigers Hastings Deering Colts side on their 2021 campaign, finishing the season in fifith position with nine wins and five losses. as part of a logjam on the ladder, they equalled five other teams on sitting between second to sixth position.

This coming weekend, Mackay will proceed to their Finals Week 2 game against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.