The Central Queensland Capras held off a desperate Ipswich Jets fightback to claim a thrilling 28-24 win at Aurizon Stadium in Finals Week 2 of the Hostplus Cup.

It was a finals contest that refused to settle. The Capras raced ahead, the Jets dragged them back, Central Queensland pushed clear again and Ipswich responded again. When the Jets finally hit the front in the second half, the Capras found another response, scoring twice in five minutes before surviving one final charge to seal the result.

Nixon Putt got Central Queensland moving in the 10th minute, breaking through for the opening try before captain Blake Moore crossed five minutes later. Trey Brown converted Moore’s try and the Capras had quickly established a 10-0 lead.

But Ipswich were not going away.

Brenton Baira crossed in the 21st minute and converted to cut the margin to four, before Radean Robinson restored Central Queensland’s breathing room with a try in the 35th minute. Brown’s conversion made it 16-6.

Again, the Jets answered. Baira grabbed his second in the 38th minute and converted to send the teams into half-time with the Capras leading 16-12.

The pressure only intensified after the break.

Jack Natapu broke through in the 56th minute and Baira’s conversion pushed Ipswich ahead 18-16, completing a comeback from 10 points down and giving the Jets their first lead of the afternoon.

The Capras needed an answer, and they found it.

Putt crossed for his second try in the 68th minute and Brown converted to reclaim the lead at 22-18. Five minutes later came another surge. Riley Reid broke the Jets open before Banjo Walker finished the movement, crossing in the 73rd minute as Central Queensland suddenly pushed out to 28-18.

But just as they had throughout the afternoon, Ipswich came again. Max Feagai crossed in the 76th minute and Baira converted, cutting the margin to 28-24 and setting up one final test for the Capras.

Central Queensland held firm through the frantic closing minutes, protecting the four-point advantage until the siren brought an end to a match packed with momentum shifts.

Putt finished with two tries and 207 run metres in a major contribution to the win, while Robinson scored one and helped create two more. Brown’s four conversions were crucial in a game where the margin never stayed comfortable for long.

Every time Ipswich found a way back, Central Queensland found an answer. When the siren finally sounded at Aurizon Stadium, the Capras had survived a finals thriller and kept their season alive.