The Romano Group Seagulls were unable to back up the tremendous victory in Port Moresby, going down eight days later 50-8 to Townsville Blackhawks at Piggabeen Sports Complex.
After a solid start to the match which saw a 2-0 lead from a Lindon McGrady penalty goal in the fourth minute, the Seagulls lost winger James Toole to a knee injury, causing a shuffle that saw Titans player and middle forward Keegan Hipgrave, on debut, having to play most of the match at left centre.
However, it was crucial errors in possession that proved decisive with five Blackhawks try coming from drop balls or failure to clean up when in possession.
One was particularly unlucky and proved a decisive momentum shift.
Down 12-2 in the 23rd minute (after centre Jordan Drew and fullback Carlin Anderson had scored from shifts to the left), the Seagulls were on the attack inside Townsville’s quarter when halfback Michael Burgess saw a chance on the left with numbers. His pass was knocked down by a Blackhawks defender and seemed to be a knock on, but the referee allowed play to continue and the Blackhawks winger Johnathon Reuben ran away to score a 90-metre try.
Former Seagull Davin Crampton scored after a quick-hands raid to the right soon after and the Blackhawks added two more tries in the final four minutes of the half to take control of the contest.
In the 36th minute Gulls fullback Pheonix Hunapo try to shield the ball from a grubber kick that was set to go touch-in-goal only from Blackhawks try-scoring king Reuben, who scored four tries in the match, forced it down centimetres inside the line.
With 30 seconds of the half remaining, centre Tristan Lumley lost the ball and the Blackhawks toed through and Reuben was first to the ball, giving him a first-half hat-trick and ensuring the score went from 20-2 to a more surmountable 30-2 at the break.
To their credit, the Gulls muscled up, showed better discipline in attack and were the better side for the first 20 minutes of the second half.
The effort was rewarded with a try to Burgess after he followed a McGrady grubber in behind the goal posts and forced it just before it went dead, for 30-8.
It was the 61st minute before the Blackhawks scored again – from another 90-metre effort – but unfortunately the flood gates then opened, with Townsville picking up four tries in 17 minutes to bring up the half-century.
The Blackhawks speed and strike on the edges, particularly the left, is one of the best in the Intrust Super Cup and caused havoc at Piggabeen.
Winger Reuben has scored 23 tries this season, nine clear on the competition’s try-scoring lists of next player, Blackhawks fullback Carlin Anderson, who aims a lot of his attack down the left. Reuben has amassed an amazing record of having scored 52 tries in 43 games.
The Seagulls would have been disappointed with the effort but may have been physically down after such a tough contest against the Hunters, and having to shuffle forwards into the backs to cover for Toole’s early injury.
They travel to Ipswich next weekend against the Jets who were flogged 44-0 by Burleigh Bears.
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 50 (Jonathon Reuben 4, Jordan Drew 2, Carlin Anderson, Davin Crampton, Ty Carucci, Blake Leary tries; Carlin Anderson 5 goals) def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 8 (Michael Burgess try; Lindon McGrady 2 goals) at Piggabeen Sports Complex.
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