It was a heartbreak end to the season for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls when they were pipped 18-16 by Norths Devils in a chaotic finish to their HostPlus Cup Preliminary Final at Bishop Park on Sunday.
There was literally a fingertip in it as the Seagulls fell agonisingly short of a place in next weekend’s grand final against the Burleigh Bears.
After a 42m two-point field goal attempt by halfback Jock Madden scraped the right upright in the dying seconds, Seagulls winger Selwyn Cobbo made a desperate dive at the loose ball over the tryline but it was just batted dead by Devils centre Jacob Gagan.
The Seagulls faithful thought they were on their way to Kayo Stadium for the final next week when Ronald Philitoga dived over in the corner in the 71st minute.
Madden hooked the important conversion, but with a 16-14 lead and the Seagulls’ proven defensive record, the final looked well within reach.
But with less than two minutes left on the clock, a Sean O’Sullivan cut-out pass was flicked on by Gagan to winger Manase Kaho, who scored out wide to give the Devils a two-point lead after a frantic last-gasp attacking raid.
O’Sullivan’s conversion slid just wide to give the Seagulls one last crack at Norths with less than a minute remaining.
With a two-point field goal an option to extend the game past the 80-minute mark, the Seagulls’ short kick-off was grabbed by leaping second-rower Luke Gale to give his side hope.
With seconds left, replacement Chaz Jarvis threw a huge pass back to Madden who was waiting just inside his own half, but his booming field goal attempt had the distance but not quite the direction.
In perfect conditions in front of Norths’ biggest crowd of the year, the defending Premiers had found themselves trailing 12-10 at the halftime break and both sides entered the second stanza with everything to play for.
A 52nd minute try to Devils centre Jordan Lipp put his side back in front, but when O’Sullivan again missed the conversion, the Seagulls still believed at 14-12 down.
Philitoga’s try sparked the subsequent helter skelter action leading up to the final whistle.
Norths Devils 18 (Tumusa, Lipp, Kaho, Ahearn tries; O’Sullivan conversion) Wynnum Manly Seagulls 16 (Philitoga, Hoeter, Sutton tries; Madden two conversions)
