By Tania Phillips and Glyn Rees
“Come out and cheer us on!” urged Warwick Cowboys Coach Col Speed ahead of this weekends top for the table Toowoomba Rugby League clash with second-placed Gatton at Father Ranger Oval in Warwick on Sunday afternoon.
The Cowboys, who have lead the competition all year and were undefeated until just a week ago, will clinch the minor premiership with a win over the tough Gatton side. The club’s reserve grade team, still unbeaten this year, have already confirmed their minor premiership but it will all come down to this game for the top team.
Speed said they had received great support from the rest of the club and the local community but would need it more than ever against Gatton who are a big and skillful side.
The team passed one of it’s other hurdles on the way to the minor, and major, premiership at the weekend accounting for their nearest neighbours Wattle Warriors.
It certainly rained on Wattles Warriors evening of celebration at Clifton on Saturday, in the form of an amazing three try performance by Warwick Cowboys fullback Nick Chapman that underpinned his team’s 46 – 26 Round 16 walloping of the Warriors in front of a packed Platz Oval crowd.
Wattles hosted their annual ‘Old Boy’s Day’, highlighted by a ten-year reunion of their 2014 Toowoomba Rugby League first grade premiership winning team, the day also supporting Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation charity Pankind.
In ideal rugby league conditions Queensland Firefighter rugby league representative Nick Chapman proved to be the dominant Cowboys shining light running in a try hat trick and collecting Hutchinson Builders Man of the Match honours for his performance.
The Cowboys boasted the full package as they ran in eight tries to Wattles five, their line up including recently named Queensland Country representatives winger Jake Speed and centre Joseph Vite.
The convincing victory returned the high-flying Warwick side, leaders of the Hutchinson Builders A Grade premiership ladder, to the winner’s dais after their only season loss in their last outing, up against the Valleys Roosters.
Warwick and Queensland Country coach Col Speed said plenty of discussions through last week contributed to a great start against Wattles, despite his side short a few players injured.
“It was a very good game, we had a few goals that we wanted to achieve and improve on from the previous week,” Speed said.
“The boys talked about setting the goals themselves and being accountable during the week and putting them into practise. That’s the most pleasing aspect, as a coach you want them to be setting goals but the goals are pretty pointless if they’re not put into practise and they did that and we got the rewards at the back end of it.
“We got a good start and it’s an old saying that you probably don’t win the game in the first twenty minutes but you can easily lose it and that’s pretty evident from our last couple of weeks so it was really good to turn that around. You can do a lot of things when you’ve got the ball.”
He said last week’s loss was a bit of a wake up call.
“It was but the good thing about it is we’ve got to a stage where they’re humble and accountable,” Speed said.
“I think there was no need for panic stations but it was a good eyeopener for us that we needed to work on a few things that we needed to do with the ball and without the ball and we did that which was good.
“Nick was exceptional and I think he’s getting wiser and smarter and settling into rugby league and on the side of that is not only did he go in for three tries but I’m certain that he saved three as well,” Speed said.
Chapman set the scoreboard in motion after just eight minutes of play, opening the gate for the Cowboys to race to a 22 – 0 lead by the 26th minute that included touchdowns for Joseph Vite, a second for Chapman and Darryl Erepia.
While fullback Jackson Green capitalised on lead up play by team-mate Matt Christensen to snatch Wattles opening try ten minutes prior to the break, Warwick responded through backrower Alifeleti Vite minutes later.
On the cusp of half time Wattles half Matt Duggan kicked across field to the south west corner to find winger Tim Hentschel on hand to score.
Warwick took a comfortable 28 – 10 lead in to the break, and while Wattles had plenty of ground work to make up, their first stanza was shadowed severely by the loss of team skipper Ty Gardner helped from the field in the 20th minute with a season ending leg injury.
The final forty minutes saw both sides run in three tries apiece, Chapman igniting the new half with his third four-pointer in the opening minutes, before second-rower Tom Bell also scored for Warwick to ease to a 40 – 10 lead.
With the game appearing shut out, Wattles snared touchdowns through front-rower Cooper Tate-Roche and a second by Hentschel to trail 22 – 40 with just six minutes remaining on the match clock.
Sharp finisher Josh Robinson completed the Cowboys try list in the later stages, while ever present three-quarter Matt Christensen crossed in the final seconds for the home side.
From across the park Cowboys’ halfback Caleb Murphy was on target throughout kicking seven goals from eight attempts.
Warwick face co-table leaders the Gatton Hawks in a clash of the Titans at Father Ranger Oval on Sunday, the match of Round, each vying for the outright competition lead.
Wattles will head to Pittsworth on Saturday where a win over the Danes is a vital outcome to reinforce their top five ranking.
Warwick 46 (Nick Chapman 3, Joseph Vite, Darryl Erepia, Alifeleti Vite, Tom Bell, Josh Robinson tries; Caleb Murphy 7 goals)
Wattles 26 (Tim Hentschel 2, Jackson Green, Cooper Tate-Roche, Matt Christensen tries; Braydon Paix 3 goals)
Reserve Grade
The Warwick Cowboys reserve grade side claimed another scalp to maintain their unbeaten season status when they finished 38 – 18 victors over Wattles after trailing 10 – 12 at half time.
Five unanswered tries from the second minute of the second stanza escorted Warwick to a convincing success.
Hooker Morgan Taylor, centre Joe Fuimaono and winger Jeffrey Ross were in shining form for the Cowboys.
Morgan Taylor was awarded the Peter Watt Memorial Medalion as player of the match, the honour bestowed annually when Warwick meet Wattles in reserve grade in honour of a most loyal supporter of both clubs.
Warwick coach Sam Williamson felt “our experience within the squad was a big part of our win; staying controlled, holding onto the ball and executing which we definitely did in the second half.”
Wattles halfback Tom Morris was the pick of those in green and gold claiming all his sides points through three tries and three goals.
Warwick 38 (Joe Fuimaono, Michael Marshall, Matt Henry, Maika Mate, Clydie Aroga, Jeffrey Ross, Lance McGrady-Dennison tries; Matthew Henry 5 goals)
Wattles 18 (Tom Morris 3 tries; Tom Morris 3 goals)
Under 19
While the Cowboys lurched to a 12 – 0 lead after just six minutes of play, Wattles recovered running in three tries to lead 16 – 12 at the break of the Under 19 clash on their way to a 38 – 18 win.
A robust individual touchdown in the opening minutes of the second half by Wattles fullback and player of the match Lachlan Clements laid the foundation for victory.
A try double by goal kicking winger Koby De Luca set Wattles on the road to a 34 – 18 lead with fifteen minutes to play on their way to securing two much needed premiership points.
