Statewide score wrap: Spirited Sarina stepping up when it counts most

No challenge is proving too great for Sarina Crocodiles in 2023 and that spirit was on show again on Sunday in two unlikely Mackay District A grade semi-finals wins.

The A grade men's side had most players out of position at some point in their 28-24 qualifying final win over Mackay Brothers, a stop-start game featuring a delay of more than half an hour after a serious injury in their outside backs.

The Crocodiles' A grade women followed up with a dominant 48-8 elimination final win over Carltons Devils.

Sarina men's A grade co-captain Ben Buchholz found himself at centre and in the middle, along with his usual posting in the second row, during the match and was proud of the way his side adapted to everything thrown at them.

"It was sort of a team-first mentality, you've got to do whatever you've got to do to get the win," he said.

"I myself had to go from back row to centre and we had a bloke off the bench Joseph Cahill filled our back row and then halfbacks went into centres, centres went to the other side of the field, wingers and fullbacks swapped around. 

"We just had to get the job done really."

Buchholz said he was particularly impressed at the growth of the club's young players this year, helping the side peak at the right time.

"A couple of young fellas on the wings and Andrew Malayta and Burung Shillingsworth stood out really well and they're doing a good job for us at the moment, so it's good to see that.

"Whenever we need a position filled we just ask who's ready to have a crack and the boys just say we'll do whatever we need to do."

Now after getting another scalp on the mission of vengeance on those who had beaten them this season, a major semi-final showdown against runaway minor premiers Mackay Magpies stands between them and grand final berth, with the bonus of a week's rest.

"We've lost to them twice, but we've sort of been understrength both times. We've nearly got everyone back on deck," Buchholz said.

Getting one game away from a grand final seemed a long way off earlier in the year after winning two of their opening six matches as a new side and late forced coaching changes - Blake Brodel ultimately taking the helm - led to a slow start.

Craig 'Trigger' Ingebrigtsen was one coach who had planned to guide Sarina, and while he ultimately returned to West Brisbane Panthers, many of the plans he consulted on with Sarina chairman Shannon Cleary have since been enacted.

"He's been a great listening board for me," he said.

"We had a lot of big plans for this year and how we were going to structure things and we had a big 'improvement meeting' at the end of last year with 'Trigger' involved where we put all this together and turned them into actions for everyone within the committee and the coaching staff.

"And regardless of him not being here, we pushed through with a lot of them. He's a very knowledgeable guy."

Each of Sarina's four senior teams ultimately made finals, and Cleary has high hopes the women's side has plenty more to give after a result that would seem to  bely their fifth-place finish on the ladder.

"They had a great win yesterday. They only had 16... they looked pretty sharp out there," he said.

"James Tapim and Andrew Malayta (Snr) are doing a really good job with those girls. They've had a really tough season with just player availability.

"A lot of them work away and I've seen the girls play games with 12 people, no one on the bench and they still come out of that positive and stick together, win or lose. They've got a really good attitude."

The Crocodiles' elimination final side featured Emily Bella at halfback and fellow Mackay Cutters BMD Premiership squad members Kaitlin Daley and Vanique Malayta - all three scoring tries on Sunday.

Sarina's women will also face Mackay Magpies in an elimination semi-final on Sunday.

Images courtesy of Jessie Dangerfield

QRL North region

FNQRL Men's A grade

Round 18 results

Mareeba Gladiators 36 def Yarrabah Seahawks 28

Atherton Roosters 34 def Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks 22

Ivanhoes Knights 78 def Edmonton Storm 12

Tully Tigers 30 def Southern Suburbs 20

Cairns Brothers 48 def Innisfail Leprechauns 26

Ladder

Northern Peninsula Area Regional Rugby League

Elimination final

New Mapoon Warriors 36 def Bamaga Roos 12

Qualifying final

Alau Eagles 22 def Injinoo Crocs 16

Rugby League Townsville District Men's A grade

Round 17 results

Charters Towers Miners 30 def Brothers Townsville 14

Norths Devils 28 def Burdekin Roosters 14

Souths Bulls 22 def Centrals Tigers 12

Ladder

Rugby League Townsville District Women's A grade

Round 17 results

Brothers Townsville 52 def Charters Towers Miners 0

Burdekin Roosters 14 def Norths Devils 4

Brothers Townsville 52 def Charters Towers Miners 0

Ladder

Rugby League Mackay & District NQBE Men's A grade

Qualifying final

Sarina Crocodiles 28 def Mackay Brothers 24

Elimination final

Moranbah Miners 64 def Souths Sharks 24

Mackay Airport Women's A grade

Qualifying final

Moranbah Miners 18 def Mackay Magpies 4

Elimination final

Sarina Crocodiles 48 def Carltons Devils 8

QRL Central region

Bundaberg Broadcasters Men's A grade

Major semi-final

Wests Panthers 22 def Past Brothers 14

Minor semi-final

Waves Tigers 30 def Easts Magpies 6

Next week: Preliminary final - Past Brothers v Waves Tigers

Emerald Industrial Supplies Central Highlands Men's A grade

Elimination final

Emerald Tigers 42 def Springsure Mountain Men 6

Qualifying final 

Dysart Bulls 46 def Clermont Bears 24

Northern Districts Rugby League Men's 2023

Preliminary final

South Kolan Sharks 34 def Avondale Tigers 18

Roma District Rugby League

Elimination final

Miles Devils 28 def Roma Cities 22

Qualifying final

Mitchell Magpies 30 def Wallumbilla/Surat Red Bulls 14

Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 17 results

Beerwah Bulldogs 60 def Noosa Pirates 10

Kawana Dolphins 70 def Caloundra Sharks 0

Coolum Colts 16 def Maroochydore Swans 10

Caboolture Snakes 54 def Nambour Crushers 16

Ladder

South Burnett Ken Mills Isuzu Men's A grade

Round 12 results

Cherbourg Hornets 80 def Murgon Mustangs 26

Kingaroy Red Ants 32 def Wondai Proston Wolves 0

Ladder

Hutchison Builders Toowoomba Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 17 results

Gatton Hawks 78 def Toowoomba Brothers 0

Warwick Cowboys 34 def Southern Suburbs 24

Dalby Diehards 43 def Pittsworth Danes 22

Wattles Warriors 34 def Goondiwindi Boars 32

Toowoomba Valleys 20 def Oakey Bears 14

Newtown Lions 37 def Highfields Eagles 30

Ladder

Toowoomba Sports Club Women's A grade

Round 17 results

Gatton Hawks 76 def Southern Suburbs 0

Oakey Bears 26 def Toowoomba Valleys 0

Newtown Lions 20 def Highfields Eagles 16

Ladder

Border Rugby League Men's 2023

Round 15 results

Inglewood Roosters 44 def McIntyre Warriors 34

Texas Terriers 42 def Eastern Suburbs Hornets 16

Tenterfield Tigers 44 def Stanthorpe Gremlins 10

Ladder

QRL South East region

Brisbane Rugby League Premier A grade

Round 18 results

Carina Juniors 19 def West Brisbane Panthers 18

Normanby Hounds 22 def Beenleigh Pride 18

Brighton Roosters 46 def Valleys Diehards 20

Wynnum Manly Juniors 68 def Souths Juniors 20

Ladder

South East Women's Holcim Cup A grade

Preliminary final

Goodna Eagles 12 def Currumbin Eagles 4

Next week - Grand final: Ormeau Shearers v Goodna Eagles

Rugby League Gold Coast A grade

Round 15 results

Tugun Seahawks 22 def Burleigh Bears 18

Southport Tigers 46 def Currumbin Eagles 10

Helensvale Hornets 28 def Runaway Bay Seagulls 26

Ladder

Ipswich Jets A Grade Cup

Round 18 results

Brothers Ipswich 22 drew with Fassifern Bombers 22

Norths Tigers 30 def Swifts Bluebirds 22

Ladder