EASTS HOLD OFF DESPERATE GATERS

By Brock Taylor

A stirring late second half comeback wasn’t enough to get the Gaters over the line against Easts, going down 28-24.

With eight minutes to go Easts led 28-12, but two late tries to Daniel Harms and Michael Wynne ensured a tense finish.

Ultimately the Tigers defence was able to stay strong and despite the close score line Easts coach Rob Florance was happy with his team’s efforts.

“We had a couple of late lapses in defence but I thought on the whole the boys showed a lot of ticker,” Florance said.

Florance praised the work his team had done in the off-season.

“It was tough conditions out there for football (in the heat), and it’s a testament to the fitness of both teams that the game played out the full 80 minutes,” he said.

The game shaped up as a classic case of David vs. Goliath, with the much bigger Gaters pack coming up against the more mobile Easts side.

Consequently, whenever Easts moved the ball to the fringes they broke the line whereas the Gaters dominated the ruck area. Despite the Tigers success out wide Florance maintained the work done in the middle was important to their win.

“No matter who you’re playing, you can’t go wide without setting it up by going forward first,” he said.

After a first half in which neither side could complete a set of six after putting points on the board, the Tigers led 16-12 going into the break.
The Gaters were dealt huge blows either side of half time, losing both halves Matthew and Robert Lennon to leg injuries.

It was Easts halfback Joel Kuene who broke the game open in the second half, scoring one try and setting up several line breaks as the Tigers scored two converted tries on the back of a glut of possession.

But on the back of hulking prop Daniel Harms, in a display sure to raise the Brisbane selectors spirits, the Gaters were able to get back in the match in the dying minutes.

Easts now sit atop the ladder equal with Aspley with two wins a piece.

EASTS 28 (Tries: Seaton, Bhullar, Kuene, Cook, Young. Goals: Taubmann 4/5. Best: Cook, Kuene, Everden) defeated GATERS 24 (Tries: Harms 3, Wynne. Goals: K Turner 4/4. Best: Harms, N Turner, K Turner)