The Greater Northern Tigers under-18s and under-16s roared to wins over North Coast in Armidale on Saturday to keep their Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups finals hopes alive.
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The under-16s posted a 32-22 victory before the under-18s survived a second half scare to prevail 30-22.
Superior in the first half, the Tigers 18s looked to be well in control up 20-nil at half-time but an error early in the second half gifted the Dolphins possession and they laid on two quick tries to cut the margin back to 10.
The pressure from the visitors was relentless in the opening 10 minutes and from a 20-point lead the Tigers found themselves clinging to a four-point advantage with 20 minutes to play.
Struggling to get out of their half, a Dolphins mistake from the kick-off provided a reprieve for the home side and they pounced, captain Cody Byrne steaming onto a short ball from Max Altus.
It was the spark the Tigers needed, Altus extending the lead with a 20m dart out of dummy half and ensuring the Dolphins had to score twice.
Alek Hall had opened the scoring for the Tigers in almost identical fashion.
Half-back Bailey Ellis sliced through to make it 12-nil not long after, the home side dominating possession and territory and making good use of it.
Humbled by the Newcastle Knights Development Squad in their last outing, Tigers coach Peter Stevens thought their first half was their best of the tournament.
The forwards made good yardage, and the Tigers were regularly deep into their half by mid-way through their set.
“It was just through the pressure,” Stevens said.
“We just controlled the ball, we didn’t give them any extra ball than they should have had.”
His only complaint was some of their last tackle options. On at least four occasions they kicked dead, giving the Dolphins a seven tackle set. Fortunately their defence was good enough to prevent them taking any advantage.
Stevens conceded he thought at half-time they could go on “and do a real good job on them” but that polish wasn’t there. As he noted they made the last three mistakes of the game.
“We probably came out with that mentality that if we stick in there for 10 or 15 minutes it would be the game but they came to us strong in the second half,” he said.
“(But) We’ll take the win and still gives us an opportunity to play semi’s.”
He thought Byrne was very strong for them in the second row. Trent Taylor and Steve Dengate also had big games.
Winger Kyle Johnson was the Tigers other tryscorer crossing for a double.
Earlier five-eighth Bailey Miller-Freebairn scored a double as the Tigers’ under-16s made a late surge. His second put them back in front with 10 minutes to go.
Captain Jhett Butler then finished off some brilliant play, the Tigers advancing about 60m in the space of a few tackles with some great offloading, to make it an eight-point game with just over five minutes remaining.
Threatening anytime they got in their 22, winger Jackson Amidy sealed the win with inside a couple of minutes to go.
The wins keep both sides in contention to finish in the top two in their respective Northern Pool division with one round remaining.
RESULTS
Andrew Johns Cup
Northern Rivers 22 def. (E Foster 2, J Bevan, L Hardy tries; T Roberts 3 goals) Central Coast Roosters 16 (P Crutcher 2, N Rodrigues tries; F Douch 2 goals)
Illawarra South Coast Dragons 24 (J Turla, B Lawrence-Foye, J Wolhar, J Morn, J Turla tries; I Morris, J Patterson goals) def. GSR Wests Tigers 16 ( K Bishop, C Smith, J Tangata tries; J Collins 2 goals,)
Western Rams 30 (J Hartwig 2, A Nunn 2, M Pollack, N Griffiths tries ;T Colley 3 goals) def. Monaro Colts 6 (T Wilton try; A Naidu goal)
Greater Northern Tigers 32 (B Miller-Freebairn 2, B Maloney, S Wilson, J Butler, J Amidy tries; B Miller-Freebairn 4 goals) def. North Coast 22 (H Wesley 2, E Duncombe, L Jones tries ; L Jones 3 goals)
Penrith Panthers 42 (S Neiufi 2, B Lowe 2, L Tauapai, Z Knight, R Smith, A Uelese tries; Z Knight 5 goals) def.
Riverina Bulls 16 (B Reardon, J Tracey, L Salafia tries; B Sainsbury 2 goals)
Laurie Daley Cup
Central Coast Roosters 34 (M Bowler 2, J Little, R Harris, D Elton, K Capper tries; R Harris 5 goals) def. Northern Rivers 20 (T Vickery 2, T Simpson, L Hallard tries; E Kane, L Hallard goals)
Illawarra South Coast Dragons 16 (A Munro, J Watling, S Lufe tries; N Sharp 2 goals) drew with GSR Wests Tigers 16 (B Bayliss, A Mata’Ia tries; J Poulsen 4 goals,)
Monaro Colts 38 (M Parsons 2, T Stewart 2, Z Bijorac, C Bower Scott, R Dodson tries; M Aitkinson 3, T Stewart 2 goals) def. Western Rams 24 (T Harrison 2, J Board, C Woolnough tries; B Naden 4 goals)
Greater Northern Tigers 30 (K Johnson 2, A Hall, B Ellis, C Byrne, M Altus tries;B Ellis 3 goals) def. North Coast 22 (M Tucknott, J Moore, J Martin, L Cooper tries; K Parkinson 2, M Buderus goals)
Riverina Bulls 30 (A McDougall 2, Z Vincent 2, W Barnes tries; L Siegwalt 5 goals) def. Penrith Panthers 22 (R Eisenhuth, C Pereira, H Reid-Porter, H Jonathon tries; F Isaacs 3 goals)