Redcliffe Dolphins have taken out the 2018 Premiership over the Easts Tigers, and we have already provided the full match review, but for those in a hurry here are the 2018 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final Key Moments.
To save you time, we have assembled the biggest moments of the 2018 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final which shaped the result or at least provided some interest in the big game at Suncorp Stadium.
BILLY WALTERS INJURY
One of the biggest 2018 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final Key Moments was when Easts Tigers five eighth Billy Walters went down injured around the 30th minute.
Sadly he never returned after limping off, causing a large hole in their backline, and a major reshuffle to go with it.
Whilst Scott Drinkwater eventually filled in with aplomb and the subsequent shift of the excellent Linc Port to fullback didn’t hurt, it meant that their major attacking weapon of the season was blunted slightly from five eighth. It didn’t help when the excellent hooker Tommy Butterfield went off with a HIA not long after.
Sad times for Billy Walters who only came back from injury in the previous weekend’s match at Burleigh, where he played well.
PLAY THE WHISTLE
After clawing back to 14-10 at half time, the second half didn’t start so well for the Tigers.
Two tries came in quick succession, the first came after what appeared to be the Tigers defenders holding off waiting for the referees to blow their whistle for a high shot by Scott Drinkwater on his opposite number.
The Redcliffe fullback Trai Fuller had been shuffling across field in attack, and when he was met by Scott Drinkwater 10 metres out was caught a little high.
But instead of the whistle blowing the whistle, play continued on and the Redcliffe fullback simply strolled the handful of metres to open up the second half scoring untouched after the initial contact.
It was a setback, and showed that the Tigers weren’t quite at the races after the break. A point underlined not long after.
IT AIN’T OVER UNTIL IT IS OVER
Following on from the above perceived lack of intent from the Tigers, or at minimum being out-enthused by the Dolphins early in the second half came the try to Kotoni Staggs a few minutes after the previous try from above.
Initially it looked like an underwhelming last play grubber from Redcliffe that looked way too long, but a determine chase from second rower Aaron Whitchurch saw him break through the two Tigers players hovering over the ball, and dive after the ball and drag it back Greg Inglis style to a waiting Kotoni Staggs.
The margin of Whitchurch’s toes to the dead ball line was tight, unlike the attempt from Easts to keep him from the ball.
On the back of the previous Trai Fuller try, it looked as if Easts were being out enthused early in the second half. Sure a 7 tackle set was good enough reason not to attack the football too much, but bit them badly when Whitchurch was able to produce his heroics.
Instead of applying early pressure after scoring just before half time, Easts were now down 26-10, and a win looked far away.
TIGERS FINGERTIPS FROM TRY
Down by ten points with just under ten minutes to go Easts came so close to bridging that gap in the 71st minute with a 2018 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final Key Moments.
A clever grubber on the last from Brayden Torpy was heading for the corner, and Easts makeshift winger Marion Seve, but the bounce of the ball went he way of the Dolphins.
Initially the Tigers were assisted by the bounce as Redcliffe winger Hawkins was unable to clean up, but it didn’t fall the way of a charging Seve either, and was eventually ruled as kicked dead by Easts and Redcliffe were handed a seven tackle set.
There were some video replay angles that made it look like Redcliffe may have touched the ball, giving Easts a repeat set, but it wasn’t to be.
The Tigers continued to try hard after that, a clever Scott Drinkwater grubber led to another big chance two minutes later, but the quick tap on pass went forward.
Then came the referee getting involved to a potential Linc Port try, it just wasn’t their day.
REF’s CALL KILLS THE GRANDSTAND FINISH
With around five minutes to go Easts Tigers were on the attack on the half way line, and a beautiful move saw their sand in fullback Linc Port benefit from the Storm like outside – in play.
The speedy Port didn’t need too much asking to slip through Redcliffe defenders, and was powering away to what looked a certain Tigers try, and a reduction of the gap to less than a try.
But surprisingly the whistle was blown, and Port called back with a penalty awarded against Easts.
Eyebrows were raised in the ground for the reason of the penalty, and replays on the big screen did nothing to lower the same eyebrows. Most are in agreement that the call was either marginal or pissweak, and sadly cost everyone at the ground an exciting, close finish.
Whilst it didn’t necessarily change the game, it certainly stopped Easts getting with a converted try of winning, with five minutes to go, and lost all the precious momentum it would have brought.
