WYNNUM-MANLY Seagulls made the most of perfect autumn conditions at BMD Kougari Oval to secure a thrilling draw with Mackay Cutters in the Hostplus Cup on Sunday.
The 26-26 all result came after a new-look Seagulls line-up unleashed its attacking prowess to race to a 22-10 half-time lead, before digging deep at the close of the game to shut down a fast-finishing Mackay lineup.
Injuries and player availability forced the team into a match day revamp, with back-rower Bayley Sironen named in the centres but lining up at five-eighth and utility back Garry Tuilekutu named at five-eighth but shifting out to the wing.
Jamal Shibasaki, the younger brother of Broncos and Wynnum centre Gehamat, was named to make his debut at lock and the strapping former North Queensland Cowboy added his power to the pack.
Sironen opened the scoring in the 15th minute when the Cutters failed to defuse a Riley Jacks’ bomb, with the loose ball shovelled wide to the ex-NRL player to crash over for the try.
Wynnum continued to press the line, and it took a try against the run of play in the 21st minute by Cutters five-eighth Ryan Rivett to level the scores.
Rivett claimed a loose ball on his tryline from another Jacks kick and showed a clean pair of heels to scoot 90m to score.
The Mackay pivot was in again seven minutes later to make it 10-6 before Wynnum-Manly winger Antonio Verhoeven, who had been moved into the centres, swooped to score an impressive individual try to put the Seagulls back in the lead with seven minutes until the break.
It was his fourth try in three games and the tall Verhoeven showed why he is so highly regarded within the Broncos system with a step and fend slicing through the Cutters defence.
There was more excitement to come, as interchange forward Beni Allen unleashed a barnstorming run that scattered the Cutters defence.
His quick player the ball on the final tackle and another astute kick from Jacks produced a magic try to prop Joshua Couric in the 36th minute.
Centre Ethan Quai-Ward plucked the kick out of the air at full pace, drew the fullback and popped the pass to Couric who rumbled over near the posts to present kicker Alex Lobb with an easy conversion to push the lead to 18-10.
With less than a minute in the half, it was Quai-Ward on the attack again as he flew onto a Ben Farr cut-out pass to sprint from near half-way.
He then unselfishly positioned Lobb to dive over in the corner as the Cutters’ cover arrived.
The Cutters hit back quickly after the break, but Wynnum continued to push their attacking prowess, with the livewire Farr sending the Wynnum faithful to their feet with a brilliant individual effort.
In the 54th minute, the fullback took a mid-field bomb deep in his own territory, skirted wide, dummied and then clapped on the pace to flash through the Cutters chasers.
His weaving run then positioned Tuilekutu, who spent the match on the wing.
The New Zealander got into space and produced a vigorous fend to hold off the Cutters fullback and crash over wide out in the opposite corner from where Farr had started his counterattack.
The visitors though were not to be cowed, and as the final10 minutes approached, produced two fine attacking raids of their own to level the scores as full-time loomed.
The 26-26 scoreline delivered plenty of excitement for the fans, who will no doubt eagerly await their Seagulls return to their nest for the round seven match on 26 April when they host the Toowoomba Clydesdales at BMD Kougari Oval.
In the meantime, Wynnum have two key away matches, taking on the Blackhawks in Townsville this Saturday and then travelling up Old Cleveland Road the following week to take on neighbouring rivals Easts at Langlands Park on Saturday April 18.
In other club news, the Seagulls are into the Final of the Cyril Connell Cup this weekend at Kayo Stadium when they take on the Norths Devils.
Wynnum swept past the Blackhawks over the weekend, winning 28-18 in Townsville with the young Gulls maintaining their momentum towards a possible premiership.
The Mal Meninga Cup squad also added to the winning weekend, overpowering the Cutters 36-30 at BMD Kougari Oval.
Wynnum’s Harvey Norman Under-19 girls went down 28–12 to the Tigers in their semi-final.
In the BRL A Grade, Wynnum had a strong 26-16 win over Redcliffe.
