Sport
5 July, 2024
Pride wins again
NORTHERN Pride asserted their dominance once again with a tight victory against the Mackay Cutters 20-12 and sit second on the ladder sharing 26 points with the North’s Devils who are in first place.
The winning streak continues with another victory on home grounds against the Mackay Cutters who gave the battle of a lifetime hoping to climb the ladder, but despite their best efforts, a levelheaded approach and strong defence ultimately proved to be the key to take the game for a final score of 20-12.
Coach Eric Smith said there were issues in handling errors and there was plenty of work to do to continue to elevate the Pride’s game, but he was happy to see the team go on the oval and do a great job to take another victory.
Round 17 this weekend is QRL’s Indigenous round and Pride will face the Central Qld Capras in Barlow Park in an effort to take the Skytrans Cup and topple the North's Devils to reclaim the top spot on the ladder. Kick off is at 3pm on Saturday at Barlow Park.
Pride’s chief executive Garreth Smith said the Indigenous round was an important occasion for the team and they were hoping to take the Skytrans Cup home.
“The Mackay Cutters was a testing encounter to say the least,” he said.
“Eric (coach) knew the Mackay Cutters would come out with intent and desperation to win. Although, we had a number of handling errors, we defended well and showed enough patience to come from behind and win the game 20- 12.
“Looking ahead to next week's round 17 game against the Central QLD Capras, we are excited to participate in the QRL's Indigenous round.
“This round holds special significance for our club and our footprint, as we celebrate and honour the rich cultural heritage and contributions of Indigenous players and communities to rugby league in general.
“Our preparation for the game against the Capras will be thorough and focused. Training sessions will be intense, aiming to ensure we are physically and mentally prepared for the challenge ahead."
