Jon Lewis
Injuries and unavailability impacted the Ray White Noosa Dolphins when they travelled to Caloundra last weekend with the A grade side suffering a 29-8 loss to the Lighthouses.
While the scoreboard weighed heavily towards the opposition, the individual performances across the field for the Dolphins was a pleasing takeaway.
It was again the inability to gel as a team and put consistent phases together that was a major contributor to the result, leaving the coaching staff with work to do to unlock that potential.
“We are struggling for depth at the moment and that is a big issue for us up against some really experienced opposition,“ reflected coach Paul Robson.
Making his A grade debut, Liam Manssen was the best for the Noosa side. Manssen, a Noosa junior with a promising future having represented Queensland at junior age, has been absent from the field for the past two years but his class shone through in a tireless performance off the side of the scrum.
In a forward’s dominated game, other standouts included Ben Ashman and veteran Alfie Hill.
The Dolphin women’s team continued their winning way with an impressive 31-5 victory over Caloundra. With tries to Holly Radge (two), Tiger Livingston and Bronte Langbridge, the women secured second place on the table just one point off high-fliers Nambour. Impressing the coaching staff was the dynamic Angela Collins who dominated in attack and was fearless in defence with dual try scorer Holly Radge taking control of the match.
While it was the young gun in A Grade, it was the veteran Jay Moffatt who took out best on field in Reserve Grade, the mercurial inside back showing all his guile. Age may have curtailed his speed, but Moffat’s step and vision have not diminished.
Falling three points short in the 15-12 loss from a penalty seven minutes from full time, coach Rocco Perugini saw plenty that pleased him.
“Our boys turned up to play for sure, and the Caloundra team knew they had a match on their hands. We missed a couple of scoring opportunities in the first half which could have set us up for victory, but I am very proud of what the players did, particularly their defence.“
Friday night saw the third grade put up a magnificent fight against ladder leaders Nambour. Matching the Toads into the final quarter of the match, the Dolphins side could not match the full bench of fresh reserves Nambour relied upon to run out 14-8 victors.
Impressing coach Digger Munro were Nat Forrest, Dean Berkhout and Kyle Beaky.
“Our defence was excellent and to keep the Toads to that scoreline was pleasing given we simply ran out of reserves in the second half with injuries and they were able to put five fresh players on in one go. That’s when they took the lead and held it,“ Munro said.
The Ray White Dolphins are back at home this weekend when they take on Wynnum in all three grades at Sunshine Beach.
– A Grade 3.30pm.
– Res Grade 2pm.
– Women 12.30pm.
