Central Queensland Capras turned an early setback into a convincing 42-6 win over Burleigh Bears at UAA Park on the Gold Coast, running in seven tries in their Round 23 Hostplus Cup clash.
Burleigh had the better of the opening exchanges and found the scoreboard first, with Mitch Watson crossing in the fourth minute before Josh Rogers converted to give the Bears a 6-0 start.
It proved to be their only points of the afternoon.
The Capras found their response through Rodrick Tai in the 12th minute, with the centre breaking through for his first of the day before Trey Brown’s conversion brought the scores level at 6-all.
From there, Central Queensland began to settle into the contest. Curtis Seierup put the Capras ahead in the 27th minute, Brown converting again to establish a 12-6 advantage that remained through to half-time.
If the first half had been relatively tight, the second was anything but.
Captain Blake Moore gave the Capras the ideal restart when he crossed just three minutes after the break and converted his own try to stretch the margin to 18-6. Radean Robinson followed in the 52nd minute, with Moore again adding the extras as Central Queensland began to put some distance between themselves and the Bears at 24-6.
Burleigh had no answer to the momentum shift, and the Capras kept coming.
Tai grabbed his second in the 64th minute to cap a strong afternoon on the scoreboard, before Tane Kiriona broke through seven minutes later. Brown converted both and suddenly a six-point half-time advantage had become a commanding 36-6 lead.
There was still time for one more.
Tyler Szepanowski burst through in the 79th minute to score Central Queensland’s seventh try, with Brown’s conversion putting the finishing touch on a 42-point unanswered run.
The numbers reflected the Capras’ growing control of the contest. Central Queensland finished with 56 per cent possession and completed 32 of 39 sets, while their 1,796 run metres comfortably bettered Burleigh’s 1,228. They also produced five line breaks and 38 tackle breaks, while limiting the Bears to a single line break.
Tai finished with two tries, while Brown kicked five conversions and led the Capras’ defensive work with 38 tackles. Moore contributed a try and two conversions, Melino Fineanganofo led Central Queensland with 191 run metres and Kiriona finished with a team-high two line breaks.
After falling behind 6-0 inside the opening six minutes, the Capras did not concede another point, turning the match firmly in their favour and finishing with seven unanswered tries.