Valleys travelled to Dalby in a tough assignment to take on the equal top-of-the-ladder Diehards, desperately needing to keep their finals hopes alive.
The Roosters had lost their past two matches and started so well in Round 13, surprising Dalby with tries to Alex Hinch and Travis Turnbull after 15 minutes to take a 12-0 lead.
The first 30 minutes of the match was as good as you would want to see with both sides’ high completion rates.
Dalby got back into the match with winger Mick Guar scoring, but Valleys weren’t finished when Dylan Chown scored the try of the match.
Dwayne Duncan leapt high near Dalby’s try line to tap on a Harrison Murphy kick to Chown who gladly scored to put Valleys further in front at 16-4.
Dalby’s Sam Fermor was the player most likely to make a difference for the Diehards and he delivered eight minutes from halftime.
As is the case in these top-of-the-ladder clashes, both sides fresh off the half-time break usually produce something and Travis Turnbull stepped through the Dalby forwards to score a clever try close to the post to get the Roosters to 22-8 in the 43rd minute.
Roosters seemed to always have Dalby’s measure after leading 12-0 early and never really let Dalby back into the match.
From that early lead, Valleys did not let Dalby get within more than 10 points and it showed on the field as poor completions (not completion rate) from the Diehards let them down.
One of Valleys’ best, Daniel Bain, finished a good team surge in the 56th minute, when he completed a right-side overlap to score outwide. At that point Valleys led 26-12 midway through the second half.
The Roosters' scrambling defence was excellent, but it was their bookends that contributed the most for their victory. Drew Jackson and Angus Taylor took the challenge to Dalby in teams that had a significant size difference.
Jackson especially just kept turning Dalby around with brutal defence. Both he and Taylor played long minutes against the larger pack.
Joel Currie, Daniel Bain, Dylan Chown and Travis Turnbull turned up for their side. Bain and Currie’s defence rate was amazing while Chown and Turnbull wreaked havoc all night.
Dalby played quality footy early but their execution rate let them down.
Alexander Dunemann played well for Dalby with Saunda Seumanutafa and Sam Fermor doing their best.
It was Valleys' best win of the season.
Valleys 28 (Travis Turnbull 2, Alex Hinch, Daniel Bain, Dylan Chown tries Dwayne Duncan 4 goals) def Dalby 18 (Mike Gaur, Sam Fermor, Dylan Taylor, Xavier Manley tries Alexander Dunemann goal)
Webcke Price Medal points: 3 Drew Jackson (Valleys), 2 Alexander Dunemann (Dalby), 1 Joel Currie (Valleys)
Reserve grade: Dalby 28 def Valleys 6
Under 19: Valleys 30 def Dalby 12
Women: Valleys 42 def Dalby 8
Toowoomba Round 13 results
Wattles Warriors v Newtown Lions
Wattles 114 (Austin Jennings 9, Matthew Christensen 2, Jacob Meddleton 2, Zach Stevens 2, Jackson Green, Warren Draper, Travis Burns, Kai Duggan, Conor Swinton, Les Hartvigsen tries Matt Duggan 7, Kai Duggan 5, Jackson Green 3 goals) def Newtown 0
Webcke Price Medal points: 3 Austin Jennings (Wattles), 2 Travis Burns (Wattles), 1 Matt Duggan (Wattles)
Reserve grade: Wattles 76 def Newtown 6
Under 19: Brothers Ipswich 32 def Wattles 14
Gatton Hawks v Toowoomba Brothers
Gatton 60 (Tyson White 2, Sione Foueti 2, Aiden Severns 2, Tupu Lisati, Luke Self, Mitchell Graham, Haydan Lipp, Kaden Bushe tries Haydan Lipp 8 goals) def Brothers 6 (Bryce Whale try Sam Betros goal)
Webcke Price Medal points: 3 Sione Foueti (Gatton), 2 Joel Brett (Gatton), 1 George Tevita (Gatton)
Reserve grade: Gatton 40 def Brothers 12
Main image: Gatton's Tupu Lisati shrugs off Brothers. Photo: Andrew O'Brien/QRL
Goondiwindi Boars v Warwick Cowboys
Goondiwindi 38 (Malcom McGrady 2, Brandon McGrady 2, Geoffrey Prince, Trae Bennetto, David McGrady tries Chris Woodbridge 2, Malcom McGrady goals) def Warwick 26 (Mitch Watson 2, Jake Speed, Tyrelle Ross, Jordyn Hogden tries Michael Bloomfield 3 goals)
Webcke Price Medal points: 3 Brandon McGrady (Goondiwindi), 2 Cody Byrne (Warwick), 1 Chris Woodbridge (Goondiwindi)
Reserve grade: Warwick 16 def Goondiwindi 14
Oakey Bears v Southern Suburbs Tigers
Oakey 50 (Benji Neliman 3, Sam Cocker 3, Leevai Sutton 2, Dylan Adamson, Tevita Cocker tries Dylan Adamson 5 goals) Souths 18 (Mitch Murphy 2, Brandon Kerr tries Ben Cook 3 goals)
Webcke Price Medal points: 3 Sione Lopamaua (Oakey), 2 AJ Ma Chong (Oakey), 1 Mitch Murphy (Souths)
Reserve grade: Souths 26 d. Oakey 22
Under 19: Redbank 42 def Oakey 22
Highfields Eagles v Pittsworth Danes
Highfields 48 (Blake Appo 3, Josh Fanning 2, Brenton Clement, Cooper Bowyer, Carl Clement, Josh Keoller tries Josh Fanning 6 goals) def Pittsworth 10 (Tom Jeffrey, Josh Thornton tries Jake Johnston goal)
Webcke Price Medal points: 3 Brenton Clement (Highfields), 2 Cory McGrady (Highfields), 1 Nick Finnie (Pittsworth)
Reserve grade: Highfields 34 d. Pittsworth 14
Under 19: Highfields 56 def Pittsworth 6
Women: Highfields 10 def Pittsworth 0
