Past Brothers will be out to keep their Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership title defence alive and book a place in their fifth straight grand final when they meet Wallaroos in the preliminary final at Salter Oval at 4.15pm Saturday.
After being blown away by Wallaroos 44-24 in the qualifying final two weeks ago, Brothers bounced back from their buffeting and a slow start against Wests Panthers in the minor semi-final last week, scoring the last 34 points after trailing 10-0 in the 21st minute.
The pendulum swung after 17-year-old Brothers winger and North Queensland Cowboys signing Joseph Doyle (pictured above with Palavi Tahaafe) continued his superb A grade debut season, finishing off a great team try one minute later.
High-class centre Corey Findlay then set up and finished off another superb try three minutes later, before Blake Powter converted to give them the lead, then Doyle doubled up five minutes before the break to take his season top grade tally to 13.
The second half was all one-way traffic after interchange back Mitchell Sly scored from a chip and chase for the all-important first try three minutes after the restart.
'Roos however were forced to lick their wounds after losing a string of players to injury in a brutal major semi-final 54-18 demolition by minor premiers Waves Tigers, who put a hat-trick of losses behind them and advanced straight to the big dance after being knocked out in the preliminary final for the past two years.
There were doubles to under 18 centre Daniel Cavanagh, interchange front rower Kiya Schnabel and hooker Sam Tobin, and a 22-points haul by fullback Layton Chambers with one try and nine goals.
Fijian front rower Palavi Tahaafe, who scored their last try to put the icing on the cake, was Brothers’ man of the match, but he will miss the grand final qualifier after his visa expired on Wednesday and he returned home.
But coach Andrew Hamilton said the returns of gun forward Luke Stilinovich and versatile veteran Tien Nugyen were “big ins” for them, and he is confident they will turn the tables on 'Roos and march on in their quest for a fourth title in the past five seasons.
“It was good to get past Wests, although they were below strength, and we will have to be a lot better than we were against 'Roos last time when we were pretty dominant in the first half and at the start of the second (leading 24-4), but we had a bad day after that – but we know what went wrong – they put up a lot of high balls which we didn’t manage well, but surely we will be better this time,” Hamilton said.
“The talk is they have got some players out, but they try hard and compete for 80 minutes, and they will be tough whatever team they have on the field.”
Wallaroos had won eight of their previous nine outings, including another victory at Brothers expense, 34-26 on June 29, while the Brethren had won just one of their past seven starts.
'Roos coach Scott Robertson said injuries cruelled them last week, finishing the game with 11 men, and that their “depth will be tested this week”.
“The one positive is that (lethal lock and captain) Jesse Robertson will be fit – he should be about 90 per cent after playing 40 per cent last week, and so did Felix (Brown),” Robertson said.
“Beaudyn McMahon is our biggest concern, and Felix and Mason Mckenna are also in serious doubt, but Damian Otto will come back into the side and we will take to the field with a decent side ready to go, and I’m still confident. We will have a few positional changes anyway and a few forced upon us, but we will still be right.”
It was a red-letter day for Brothers last Saturday with their second placed under 18 and reserve grade sides both upsetting minor premiers in each, Waves Tigers, 24-6 and 20-16 respectively.
Winger Luan Kirchner crossed twice for the under 18 Brethren, while Joseph Doyle notched his 20th try of the year in the division, while their reserve graders inflicted Waves’ first loss of 2024.
Waves’ 18s and reserve grade will both get their second chances, both against Hervey Bay Seagulls, who blitzed Wallaroos 34-8 in under 18, and held on to pip Easts Magpies 30-28 in reserve grade.
