Connor O’Brien, Gold Coast Bulletin
FOR all their pre-season promise, poor execution dashed Tweed Heads’ pursuit of a season-opening win in front of their Piggabeen faithful.
The Seagulls were handed a mountain of territory as visitors Ipswich frequently turned over possession and conceded penalties during the first 60 minutes of a scrappy round 1 clash.
But while Tweed continually found ways to blow attacking raids, the Jets grabbed any slight window of opportunity – most against the run of play – to apply their typical flair on the way to a 34-6 win.
There were long-range busts driven by sheer speed, a 100m intercept effort but most remarkable of all was a try inside 10 seconds of the second half kick-off.
Having reduced the deficit to 12-6 at the break thanks to a Morgan Boyle try, the home side were immediately on the back foot after falling asleep to a short Ipswich kick-off that turned into a double for winger Richard Pandia.
“We had that much time in their end to start with for no result and then we just fell away in the end,” Tweed coach Aaron Zimmerle said.
“After our trial form and everything we had done, we just didn’t match Ipswich for energy.”
Zimmerle said his side would wipe the slate clean going into their Round 2 match in Mackay on Saturday.
“Our big thing is for the last two weeks, Souths and Burleigh, we have been really good playing the style that we were playing,” he said.
“It didn’t work against Ipswich. We just have to accept the loss and we start again next week with it.”
Lindon McGrady, whose harsh sin-binning in the 20th minute directly preceded the opening try, was busy at fullback while centre James Toole earned a pat on the back from his coach.
“James Toole on his Queensland Cup debut was very strong defensively against obviously a quality centre – (Nemani) Valekapa is one of the best in our competition and a Fijian international,” Zimmerle said.
Titans players Boyle, Eddy Pettybourne and Kurt Bernard all put in respectable performances in front of a crowd which included Titans coach Neil Henry, Chris McQueen and Brisbane Broncos flyer James Roberts.
Bernard was particularly physical with and without the ball and showed his improved engine by punching out 45 minutes.
The Seagulls will be bolstered for their Mackay trip by the return of co-captain Damian Sironen – a late withdrawal from yesterday’s match – from injury plus centre Tevita Folau and lock Dane Clarke from suspension. Prop Ethan Price however is set for an extended stint on the sidelines as he recovers from a back issue.
IPSWICH JETS 34 (Richard Pandia 2, Nemani Valekapa, Michael Purcell, Luke Capewell, Christopher Ash tries; Luke Capewell 4, Wesley Conlon goals) def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 6 (Morgan Boyle try; Michael Burgess goal) at Piggabeen Sports Complex.
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