Central Queensland Capras were beaten 34-16 by Norths Devils at Aurizon Stadium in Round 8 of the BMD Premiership, with a damaging five-try run either side of half-time putting the visitors in control after the match had been level at 8-all.
The Capras made the stronger start, with Tylah Phillips opening the scoring in the fourth minute to give Central Queensland a 4-0 lead. Norths hit back through Jessica Nugent in the eighth minute before Jazmin Lord crossed six minutes later, pushing the Devils ahead 8-4 after both conversion attempts were missed.
Central Queensland found a response in the 28th minute when Josie Wogand crossed to level the scores at 8-all. Denman again missed from the tee, leaving the match locked heading into the closing stages of the first half.
That was where the contest began to turn.
Natahlia Moors crossed in the 34th minute to restore Norths’ lead and send the Devils into half-time ahead 12-8.
The visitors then struck twice in quick succession after the break through Natalie Wright. She scored in the 36th minute and again in the 39th, converting both tries to stretch the margin to 24-8.
Moors added her second in the 42nd minute, with Wright again converting to push Norths out to 30-8. In the space of eight minutes either side of half-time, the Devils had turned an even contest into a 22-point advantage.
Tayla Sykes extended the lead in the 52nd minute, crossing to make it 34-8 and leaving the Capras with too much ground to recover.
Central Queensland did finish with a response.
Shayla Powell crossed in the 55th minute to cut the margin to 34-12, before Alexandra Kulla Kulla added another try in the 63rd minute. Denman was unable to convert either, leaving the final score at 34-16.
The Capras finished with four individual try scorers through Phillips, Wogand, Powell and Kulla Kulla, while Denman was unsuccessful with four conversion attempts. For Norths, Wright and Moors both scored doubles, with Wright also kicking three conversions to finish with 14 points.
The decisive damage came through Norths’ five unanswered tries from the 34th to the 52nd minute, with that scoring burst carrying the Devils to the Round 8 win.
