Falcons hold on against Tweed

The Tweed Seagulls fought back from a 16-point deficit early but a fast-finishing Sunshine Coast Falcons took the chocolates with a 26-18 win at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Presented with sunny skies perfect for throwing the footy around, Tweed got into their work early. They searched the edges in yardage and moved up the field to win the early field position battle.

However, a Sam Lisone error gave the Falcons an opportunity in good ball which they turned into points. Cooper Johns crabbed across the field before Daniel Atkinson straightened the attack and sent the ball wide for Nat McGavin to score in the corner.

Tweed responded well with a tough Charlie Murray carry ending up in a penalty and kick up the field. Tom Weaver, Lee Turner and Scott Galeano found space down the right edge to put the Seagulls on the front foot.

Lindon McGrady approached the line on the last tackle and looked to dribble one in behind the line for a repeat set, but Blake Wilson cleaned up the grubber and returned it to the house to put the Falcons up 10-0 after 12 minutes.

The home side made it 16-0 on the following set. Johns hung one up on the last tackle with Luke Polselli beating McGrady in the air before sending Kane Jackson over the line.

Despite the scoreline, the Seagulls didn’t go into their shell. Typical shifts wide posed danger down the edges on both sides.

Ioane Seiuli went close in the left corner before being bundled into touch. Backrower Josh Patston found himself streaking down the left edge and into Falcons territory on the following set. Seiuli did the same shortly after.

However, the home side solved Tweed’s shifts well enough in good ball to keep their line clean until the visitors finally broke through in the 30th minute. McGrady’s long kicking game improved Tweed’s field position and his grubber to Patston produced points and cut the Falcons’ lead to ten which lasted through to halftime.

Neither side managed to grasp control of the game throughout the early stages of the second half. Tweed again found success down the edges but the Sunshine Coast defence held firm. Meanwhile, a big Falcons middle charged up the field and forced the Seagulls to work out from deep in their own end.

A Sunshine Coast penalty for high contact and back-to-back six again infringements changed the game and put Tweed into attacking field position for an extended period.

McGavin put a shot on out wide to close down a dangerous-looking right shift before Johns knocked the ball on while solving a Tweed shift to the left edge. An Atkinson shoulder charge extended Tweed’s time in good ball and having been held up over the line a minute earlier, Craig Garvey eventually cracked the Sunshine Coast defence to score.

The big middles moved the ball between themselves up the field while Brian Kelly also worked hard out of yardage, and Tweed returned straight back to the Sunshine Coast 20 to continue their onslaught with the ball.

Lisone went close to crashing over the line but the home side managed to hold him up. However, the fatigue in the legs started to catch up with the Falcons middle as Patston won the race to a McGrady grubber with Tweed taking an 18-16 lead into the final 15 minutes.

The Falcons completed a strong defensive set but a late shot as Weaver kicked from deep in his own end released all pressure and sent the Seagulls 40 metres up the field.

However, Polselli found a gaping hole in the defensive line in response before drawing the fullback and sending Johns under the post to put the home side back in front.

Just like that, the Falcons were rewarded for their work in defence with a 22-18 lead with Jack Gibbons adding to it in the final moments. While the Seagulls completed an impressive comeback throughout the middle of the match, the Falcons’ fast start and strong finish was enough to secure the 26-18 win.