A-Grade Roosters Fall to Charters Towers in Thrilling Match

Roosters coach Steve Lansley was visibly frustrated after watching his team narrowly lose to Charters Towers 32-26 at Rugby Park on Saturday night.

"I am starting to sound like a broken record but that is definitely a game we let go way," said Coach Lansley.

The first half was a closely contested battle, with both teams scoring three tries each, going into halftime, tied at 18-all. The Roosters then pulled ahead to 24-18 with a converted try by Jye Olsen, followed by a penalty from Olsen, bringing the score to 26-18. However, Charters Towers responded with a try, narrowing the gap to 26-24.

A couple of controversial referee decisions put the Miners in a strong attacking position, and they soon scored in the corner, with the conversion giving them a 30-26 lead. A late penalty sealed the win for the Miners at 32-26.

Lansley praised Dudley Dotoi, who scored two tries, but noted that his team deviated from their game plan in the second half by trying too hard to get the ball wide. This led to turnovers, with the Miners capitalizing on the Roosters' mistakes.

"We have a very young side, and they are learning each week - we only have to keep our calm and the wins will come as our defence is good for the most part," Lansley added.

Lansley also commended Jye Olsen for his outstanding performance, both in scoring and overall play, naming him the players' player. He praised forwards Henry Teuteu and Paul Merlo for their significant contributions, with Merlo being particularly dangerous from dummy half.

In addition to Dotoi's two tries, Paul Merlo and Jye Olsen also crossed the line, with Olsen kicking five goals.

In other A-grade matches; Brothers defeated Centrals 22-16, Souths beat Western Lions 40-18 and Herbert River overcame Norths 34-10.

Reserves coach Chris Perry praised his under-18 players who played a pivotal role in their team's 26-16 win over Charters Towers.

While he highlighted the efforts of the younger players, Perry also commended Jerome Lacco and Alex Lennox for their strong performances. He noted John Zaro's standout game, describing it as a turning point in the match.

Despite missing some players, Perry acknowledged the team's gutsy effort, with young Llama Ghee named players' player for his determined try. Lacco and Zaro also featured prominently in the players' awards.

Burdekin's tries came from Jerome Lacco (2), Braithen Heeron, and Llama Ghee, with Dylan Doak adding two goals.

In other reserve grade games; Bowen defeated Brothers 32-8, Souths beat Western Lions 34-30, and Herbert River overcame Norths 26-20.

The Ladies' game between Burdekin Hens and Charters Towers was called off after 13 minutes due to a serious injury to a Charters Towers player, requiring hospital treatment. At the time, the Hens were leading 28-0.

The game was played as a ten-a-side affair due to both teams having the bare minimum number of players. In the brief time the game was played, the Hens scored five tries and kicked four goals, with Toni Daisy, Stephanie, and Martina Monday proving too fast for the Miners. Stephanie also excelled with her kicking, converting four out of five attempts.

In other ladies matches; Centrals defeated Brothers 34-4, and Herbert River beat Norths 30-6.

Contributed with thanks to Brian Carnes.

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Celebrated for another week, Jye Olsen was named Players Player following his performance last Saturday night.
Following an unforgettable loss to Charters Towers last week, the Roosters plan to bounce back to yield better results this Saturday.

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