The Central Queensland Capras were in pursuit of their first win in Ipswich since 2009, and their first win at the North Ipswich Reserve since 2006. And they succeeded against Ipswich Jets.
The last time the Capras won in Ipswich was 2009 - Round 5 at Briggs Road, 23-18, with State of Origin hooker PJ Marsh scoring two tries.
The Jets may have won the last eight encounters in Ipswich but the new top-of-the-table Capras were playing like they knew nothing about the past.
They started the chase to win with a chain of offloading that would make you think the Capras didn’t want the ball. Along the backline until Jamie Hill somehow doubled around in the corner and recorded his first seventh try in game number 50 in the Hostplus Cup.
It was the Capras right corner that was bad news again for the Jets when the Capras stripped the Jets of numbers and Brandon Roberts scored in the corner.
The Capras had two tries in the first eight minutes and Trey Browne added the first two points to give the Capras a 10-0 lead.
The Jets got four points back when debut fullback Ngangarra Barker went to dummy-half and caught some Capras asleep. Barker dived over under flock of Capras.
The Jets couldn’t add two points to bring them closer to Central Queensland and the Capras led 10-4 with 15 minutes until half-time.
It was that man Roberts again when the Capras went to the right and everything about it was right with the Capras winger scoring his second try after some great drawing of the defence by Ethan O’Neill and the Capras hooker Browne was knocking them over from the corner to keep the Jets 12 points behind.
It wasn’t Roberts next time; the Capras went down to attack just to mix it up the Capras went left and Jack Madden found Jonus Pearson running straight and untouched for his 50th try in the Hostplus Cup.
Lachlan Hubner liked what he saw happening on the field and when he moved from the bench to the Capras forwards he was happy to charge over the line.
The Capras were edging closer to an historical win at 28-4 at half-time.
Match: Jets v Capras
Round 3 -
home Team
Jets
14th Position
away Team
Capras
1st Position
Venue: North Ipswich Reserve, Ipswich
It took the Jets 17 minutes to score in the second half, with multiple sets in attacking areas, the Jets were able to sustain some pressure until Ratu Jope Rotavisoro came up with the try in the corner.
The Jets closed the gap to 20 with 21 minutes to play. Ipswich continued to claw away at the Capras lead.
There was a scramble for the ball and Jets’ Dominic Macuboy dived on it first to get his second try for the Jets in game number three to get the Jets four points closer to the Capras.
The Capras struck back with 10 minutes to play with a try and the lead back to 20.
It was the flanks again that exposed the Jets defence; the Capras created extra space and men when they went left and Cooper Marshall scored in the corner.
The Jets had made some ground up in the second half but the first half was too much to overcome and the Capras had a 32-12 win.
Capras hooker Trey Browne was involved in everything for the Capras, kicking four conversions that kept adding the extras.
“We were really happy with our first half... we talked about starting fast and then in the second half when Ipswich were running harder and straighter we were able to combat that and then score points again at the end of the game,” Browne said.
“We came here for two points and we did that so we are really happy."
The Capras will face Mackay Cutters in XXXX Rivalry Round.
Match: Capras v Cutters
Round 4 -
home Team
Capras
1st Position
away Team
Cutters
6th Position
Venue: Browne Park, Rockhampton
The Jets will take on Brisbane Tigers.
Match: Tigers v Jets
Round 4 -
home Team
Tigers
2nd Position
away Team
Jets
14th Position
Venue: Villanova Park, Tingalpa
