Courtesy of Michael Nunn
Jets v West Brisbane Panthers at North Ipswich Reserve, Saturday, September 3– 1pm
Livestream: https://livestream.com/accounts/9436031/events/6258403
Ipswich Jets
1. Ono So’Oialo 2. Francis Ledger 3. Josh Damen 4. Tu’u Maori 5. Finecallum Faingaa 6. Mikaere Beattie 7. Chris Ash 8. David Tahavalu 9. Peter Whittaker 10. Rowan Winterfield 11. Mitch Koina 12. Matthew Brown 13. Lachlan Roe 14. Isi Hafoka 15. Ben Sullivan 16. Max Felosi 17. Toby Key
Coach: Mark Bishop
West Brisbane Panthers
1. Meali Seve 2. Jon Collins 3. Kennedy Pettybourne 4. Kyran Tanuvasa 5. Jake Dornan 18. Che Faalafi 7. Ollie Olds 8. Kristian Wanka 9. John Matters 10. Jared Blanke 11. Sam Carson 12. James Sharkie 13. Dominic Biondi 14. Hayden Potter 15. Erik Koelbel 16. Jon Tasi 17. Sebastian Sinapati
Coach: Wayne Weekes
So far this season:
IPSWICH JETS 24 (Mitch Koina 2, Peter Whittaker, Tu’u Maori, Finecallum Faingaa tries; Ono So’Oialo 2 goals) def WEST BRISBANE PANTHERS 22 (Michael Rasmussen, Ollie Olds, Kristian Wanka, Ben Mathao tries; Hayden Potter 3 goals) at North Ipswich Reserve.
WEST BRISBANE PANTHERS 24 (Kennedy Pettyborne 2, Kyran Tanuvasa, James Sharkie tries; Liam Tyson 4 goals) def IPSWICH JETS 18 (Peter Whittaker, Nathan Gaulton, Hugh Sedger tries; Ono So’Oialo 3 goals) at Kev McKell Oval, Arana Hills.
After the first week of finals both Ipswich and the Panthers are still alive due to both having wins.
Elimination Semi Finals
IPSWICH JETS 32 (Josh Damen 2, Rowan Winterfield 2, Finecallum Faingaa, Lachlan Roe tries; Josh Damen 2, Mikaere Beattie 2 goals) def EASTS TIGERS 14 (Adrian Henley, Jack Schaffer, Leone Cama tries; Guy Hamilton goal) at North Ipswich Reserve.
WEST BRISBANE PANTHERS 36 (John Collins 3, James Sharkie 2, Ollie Olds, Dominic Biondi tries; James Sharkie 4 goals) def GATERS 22 (Kieran English 2, Reuben Lennon 2 tries; Jarrod Watson 3 goals) at Kev McKell Oval, Arana Hills.
This brings the Panthers and Jets together for the third time this season. This time there is plenty at stake.
It is one win each in 2016.
For the winner a date with week three, for the loser the end of the season.
The Jets let Easts get the jump on them early but stuck to Jets’ footy and were never out of the contest despite the score.
The Jets scored some great tries and were led by Rowen Winterfield. Who was beyond tremendous.
Coach Mark Bishop had this to say about his big huge front rower who just seems to love running into people.
“Rowan is an 80 min front rower. He locks up the middle in defence and will always cart the ball up. He knows his role and has developed a sneaky off-load as well, he’s a gem.”
I asked coach Bishop what has to happen this week to come away with a win.
“More of the same. Really lock up the middle because they will go there all day with a big forward pack.”
“We played to our strengths. We backed ourselves to play the “Jets style” and covered any mistakes with some really good defence. We trusted each other to make up for any errors.”
Wests’ half Oli Olds will be no stranger to the Jets having played Intrust Super Cup for the Jets in 2014.
Olds is a scheming half that will probe away behind a giant forward pack until he finds the crack in the defence he is after.
For the Jets nothing has to change, defend well and defend the errors and when you have the ball play that great brand of footy.
The Jets will be looking to forward leader Rowen Winterfield to make the meters to unleash Josh Damen with his speed.
Lachlan Roe was very dangerous on the right edge for the Jets and if the Jets can move the big Wests forwards around they can then get it to the edge to put pressure on Wests’ backs to have to make a decision.
This is finals footy, no tomorrow for the loser and as Bisho always says don’t finish with footy in you.