Capalaba Warriors ended Mt Gravatt Eagles season with a 24-8 win in the Rugby League Brisbane Open 2 South elimination final on Saturday.
With Pinklands Sports Complex awash with supporters from both clubs, the Warriors now advance into the first semi-final, with a mouth-watering showdown with the Slacks Creek Lions awaiting them.
It was the Warriors who posted first points of the afternoon in the ninth minute courtesy of speedy winger Jarrod Edwards.
A superb cut-out pass from five eighth Nat O’Callaghan, found his wingman unmarked and he dashed away down the sideline to go in unopposed.
With both sets of forwards trying to get the upper hand in the game, it was a battle up the middle.
Eagles' Ryan Allport and Michael Tamanui were outstanding, while the Warriors were best served by Eli Kailahi and prop Mani Mani.
A professional foul from the Eagles 10 metres out helped the Warriors extend their lead, with Sheldon Smith stepping up to take the penalty goal to make it 6-0.
In an end-to-end game, the Eagles simply could not break the Warriors defensive line, having been held up on three occasions by the Capalaba brick wall.
Tireless Eagles hooker Will Pilor tried every trick in his book to get his side over from dummy half with his superb passing game, but it was to no avail.
It was a different story down the other end of the field when the Warriors struck the next blow through centre Sonny Clay.
Sheldon Smith’s run to the line and double pump put the speedy centre through a nice gap, who made no mistake crossing beside the sticks.
But in true Eagles style, they continued to prod and probe and eventually they got on the board just before the break through Cooper Dagan.
A nice lobbing pass from William Blair found his five-eighth who crossed out wide to see the Warriors head into the sheds with a 10-4 lead.
Finals football brings out the best in most players and it was fitting that local Bayside legend Nathan Tanna scored a meat pie, given his invaluable service in the Redlands area.
His bust up the middle saw the former Redlands star crash in beside the sticks, to put the Warriors further in front 14-4.
That brought Capalaba even further to life and they crossed again in the 60th minute through hardworking prop Mani Mani who was deserving of his bustling try.
At 20-4, the game was slipping away from the Eagles especially with time against them.
However, Tyreese Pati-Sialapae used his strength to palm off two would-be Warriors defenders to crash in inches from the corner and give the Eagles a glimmer of hope.
But the Warriors who have been solid all season, ensured the Eagles would be celebrating Mad Monday earlier than expected with a try right on fulltime to round off what was a clinical display of rugby league.
Keep up with all the finals results and fixtures here.
