Game Reports 2010
Round 06 v Browns Plains Bruins
This game marked the second clash between the Stingrays and the Bruins in 2010. The previous game saw the Stingrays run away with a 46-0 win. Since that game the Bruins have struggled to post a win and entered the game at 0-5.
The Stingrays regarded themselves favorites for the game, however the long drive to the Sunshine Coast and training hampered by the extended wet weather meant that the Rays were looking flat in pregame warm-ups. Coach Williams told the team that to avoid getting off to a slow start, the team would need a spark from some outstanding individual play early in the game.
The Bruins received the ball from the kickoff and on the first series of the game, it was clear that Linebacker Chris Mooney was keen to provide an explosions rather than a spark to get the Rays in the proper frame of mind. Mooney was frequently in the Bruins backfield and inflicted some bruising tackles on the Bruins ball carriers. Junior play Strantz Hettig also got in on the action by recovering a Bruins fumble early in the game.
While the field held up well in the wet conditions, it played havoc with the Rays passing game as QB Kyle Low had trouble finding his usually rhythm. The Rays came away empty handed from the Bruins red zone on more than one occasion and Low threw 3 interceptions. The Rays first breakthrough came on a pass to RB Robbie Edmonds who evaded defenders and moved the ball 30 yards before it looked as though the Bruins secondary got their hands on him - but TE Lawrence Tully had sprinted down field hoping to make a block for Edmonds, but instead collected a lateral pass and took the ball the remaining distance to the end zone. The PAT was good to give the Rays a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Bruins showed that they were intending to take the game physically to the Rays defense by pounding the ball through the middle of the field. While this did allow the Bruins to move the ball and register a number of first downs, the Rays defense was up to the task and made plays when it counted to keep the ball out if their endzone.
In the second quarter the Rays again found the end zone with a Kyle Low TD pass to WR Ryan Pedley with a diving reception in the corner of the endzone, taking the score to 14-0 with a successful PAT.
After the break the Stingrays offense continued to make good yards up the middle of the field themselves - RB Robbie Edmonds proved as elusive as ever and RB Ryan Baldwin also registered some solid gains in best performance of the year so far.
A handful of penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct were handed out by the officials in the game, but following the ejection of a Bruins player the Stingrays got their discipline under control and kept focus on their football execution.
As the rain continued to fall in the 4 th quarter the Rays defense kept up their effort and were rewarded with a number of sacks, including one to Andy Farrell - the first of his career. A Kyle Low sneak from 3 yards out behind linemen Dennis Deciccio, Karl Kaworo and David Wilson kept the score ticking over. 20-0 .
Lawrence Tully scored his second TD of the game in a more conventional fashion with a 10 yard pass from Low. 27-0 .
Good tackling from the Rays defense (including DB Damien Molloy) and pass coverage (Rod Barker) late in the game helped keep the Bruins off the score sheet.
The Stingrays now look forward to a home game next week and will take on the Rhinos. The GQ Ladder is looking crowded at the top with four teams registering 1 or fewer losses (Ravens 5-0, Wildcats 5-1, Stingrays 4-1 and Rhinos 4-1). The next 3 weeks will be crucial in sorting out the ranking heading into the Playoffs on 20 November. Round 05 v Towoomba Wolves
The Stingrays came into the game with confidence and a 2-1 record. The Wolves were yet to post a win in their second season and at 0-3 were not expected to give the Rays much trouble.
The Rays coaches saw the game as a good opportunity for some of the less experienced players get some game time and to polish some aspects of their game - particularly ball security - in the wet conditions at Shaw Rd.
It turned out to be a day when everything seemed to fall into place for the Stingrays. Touchdowns came early and often. The Rays scored on every offensive possession and forced a number of turnovers. Strantz Hetting recovered two Wolves fumbles, and was joined by Seb Kohene and DE Stephen Beere with one recovery each. Ash Dick also snared a pair of interceptions and Zac Murolo made the most of his game with an impressive performance at linebacker.
But it was offense that were really on top of their game with RB Robbie Edmonds scoring 3 TDs and Ryan Pedley 2TDs. Kyle Low threw for 4 TDs and rushed for another. Damien Molloy scored a receiving TD and also threw 2 TD passes when Low was rested in the 2 nd half. Ash Dick picked up a pair of TD receptions (proving he can catch on both sides of the ball) and rookie Joel Harris rumbled over the line from the Fullback position for his first career TD.
The Wolves did get their offense working in the 2 nd half and repeatedly found yards off-tackle before scoring a rushing TD to slightly round out an ugly final score of 67-6 .
The Stingrays now get the week off to rest up before a grueling schedule sees them take on the Bruins for a second time before playing the remaining GQ teams, in particular the Rhinos (who lost narrowly to the Wildcats this week) and the as-yet unbeaten Bayside Ravens.
Coach Williams. Round 04 v Daisy Hill Wildcats
The rematch between the Gold Coast Stingrays and Daisy Hill Wildcats had been eagerly anticipated by the Rays players and coaches. The recent new additions to the team had paid immediate dividends the previous week against the Bruins and the team felt they had improved in the 2 weeks since the last clash.
The Cats opening drive was a 3-and-out affair, forced by an offside penalty, a Lance Tongakilo tackle on the Cats QB and a pass broken up by LB Phil Manassa.
Following the punt and on only the second offensive play from the Stingrays, Kyle Low launched a long pass for Damien Molloy form his own 24 yard line. Molloy easily outran his defender and made the grab before running the remaining yardage to the end zone. The PAT was good and the Rays took an early lead 7-0 but knowing they would have to do a lot more to keep up with the Wildcats' potent offense.
But the Cats offense will still in warm-up mode. Ivan Tanuvasa and David Wilsonteamed up to stuff a Cats run and CB Robbie Edmonds broke up Cats QB Jason Lehman's first passing attempt to WR Kevin Saibou. An incompletion on 3 rd down gave the ball back to the Kyle Low's Rays offense.
The Rays second possession wasn't was effective as the first - a long Robbie Edmonds run was called back, TE Lawrence Tully dropped a pass and Nathan Diapola dropped a pass on 3 rd down past the sticks that forced the Rays to Punt.
The Rays Linebackers forced another 3-and-out for the Cats by chasing down a screen and again stopping QB Lehman on a run up the middle. The Rays offense were also struggling with execution, but Ryan Pedley managed to move the chains with a reception on a short pass with a strong run after the catch. But soon after the Rays found themselves in a 4 th and short situation on their own 39 yard line. Coach Williams wanted to establish some momentum moving into the 2 nd quarter, so called a QB sneak instead of a punt. Low crashed past the 1 st down marker behind Ivan Tanuvasa and the Rays offense rolled on. Molloy and Edmonds kept the ball moving on the ensuing first and second downs but the breakthrough came when Ryan Pedley caught a 30 yard pass from Low behind 2 Cats DBs. Again, the PAT was good, taking it to 14-0 .
A chance to score went begging for the Cats when a long pass to Offensive Tackle Emery Williams was dropped. The unconventional formation used by the Wildcats meant the offensive lineman was eligible to catch a pass and it caught the Rays by surprise. The drop wasted the element of surprise - the Rays DBs were not likely to ignore Williams again. Good plays on defense by Molloy and Longakilo again brought up a Cats punt. The booming kick gave Pedley little chance for a return.
More Stingrays offensive players began to pull their weight on the next drive. Lawrence Tully caught a nice ball over the middle for a first down, and Jarrod Hayes took the ball inside the red zone with a 15 yard run on the left side behind swift combo blocking from Joel Harris, Sebastian Kohene and Andy Farrell. Low then found Pedley for his second TD reception and the Rays were starting to pull away from the Cats. The PAT was blocked. 20-0 .
The cats soon got their chance after a Kyle Low pass was picked off by Cats LB Austin Barmun. The Cats worked their way down to the Rays 30 yard line and then brought in tall Punter and WR Gavin Grose. The Rays DBs were wary of Grose's height and anticipated a fade route. Sure enough, the ball went deep to Grose, but CB Ash Dick stuck with him and broke up the pass on the 2 yard line. But not satisfied with the first attempt, the Cats went back to the very same play. Dick looked to have the play under control again, but as the ball bobbled in the air, the receiver was able to pluck the ball from the air on the second attempt and carry it across the line for the first Wildcats score. The PAT was good. 20-7 .
Time ticked away to the end of the half with the ball on the Cats 45 yard line.
An early second half score was set up by a 41 yard reception by Ryan Peldey. On the next play Ash Dick's reliable hands reeled in the ball from Low in the corner of the end zone to extend the Rays' lead to 27-7 .
As the game was slowed by some refereeing indecision, the Cats mounted an 11 play drive down to the Rays' 12 yard line. On 3 rd and Goal the Cats QB was flushed out of the pocket after being unable to find an open receiver. Despite desperate pursuit by the Rays defenders Sebastian Kohene, David Wilson and Rob Clayton, Lehman managed to pick up some blocks, evade tacklers and finally dive in the end zone on what appeared to be a spectacular individual effort. Unfortunately a few of the blocks that assisted the run were illegal and the officials returned the ball to the 27 yard line to repeat 3 rd and Goal. Still hungry for the score, the Cats fired a deep pass toward their slot receiver, but Rays Safety Isaac Summerfield closed on the ball at speed and took the interception in stride on the 5 yard line, returning it to the 20.
This spectacular defensive play appeared to again shift the momentum in the Rays' favour. But on the first play of the following posession, RB Edmonds fumbled the ball after being hit in the backfield, giving the Cats another chance to get back into the game. The Cats wasted no time and scored on a pass to WR Saibou on the next play. A successful PAT made it 27-14 and the Cats were starting to chip away at the lead.
Following the short kick return, disaster again struck for the Stingrays. Another fumble, seemingly a carbon-copy of the first, gave the Cats another opportunity to reduce the lead.
Two penalties against the Wildcats for illegal blocks pushed the ball back to the 44 yard line and gave the Rays some breathing room. A fumbled snap on 3 rd and long denied the Cats the chance to punish the Rays for their second fumble and a punt was launched, giving the Rays the ball on their own 15.
Now in the 4 th quarter, the Rays had to go back to basics and simply hang onto the ball and keep the Cats offense off the field. A penalty for a late hit, a 7 yard Pedley reception and a QB scramble on 3 rd down moved the Stingrays out of immediate danger and down to around midfield. But the Cats defense was eager for another turnover and they got one when Low scrambled after quick penetration in the middle by the Cats D-line, failing to secure the ball and giving up yet another fumble.
A trio of receptions to the Cats receivers and running back moved the ball down to the Rays 10 yard line. The Cats fightback now saw the score separated by just one TD as QB Jason Lehman found a hole in the middle of the Rays defense and zipped over the line and took the score to 27-21 .
Now the Rays were starting to sweat as there was still enough time on the clock for the Wildcats to mount a final drive if they were to give the ball away one more time. On a crucial 3 rd and 3 play from their own 30 yard line, Kyle Low ran the ball in an attempt to make the first down but was dragged down by the defense short of the marker. But unlike their previous 3 possessions which ended in turnovers, at least the Rays had the chance to win back some field position with a punt. The Cats returner allowed the ball to bounce and it finished up on the Cats 25 yard line.
With time running out and with 75 yards to travel, the Cats managed to move the ball across halfway, but desperate pressure from Seb Kohene and DL Dan Arnold led to a pair of incompletions and the left the Cats stranded as the clock read 00:00.
Final score 27-21 to the Stingrays. While it was good to have posted a win against the dangerous Wildcats, everyone in a light blue uniform knew that that a horrendous turnover margin almost overshadowed a brilliant team performance in the first half. With more work to do in order to improve their game, the Rays headed south expecting to meet the Wildcats again in the playoffs.
Coach Williams
Round 03 v Browns Plains Bruins - 11/09/2010
While winning is a habit, the opposite is also true. After coming of their first loss in the GQ competition since 27 September 2008, the Gold Coast Stingrays were eager to get back to their winning form. The return of 2009 GQ Wide Receiver of the Year Damien Molloy, veteran (and feisty bloodnut) FB Jarrod Hayes and starting TE Lawrence Tully was a welcome boost. Also returning was WR Ryan Pedley from Canada. Pedley played with the Rays in 2005 and has returned to our big brown land for another tilt at Stingrays football and continuing lessons in proper vowel pronunciation.
Another significant addition was LB Lance Tongakilo (2009 GQ & Gold Coast Stingrays Junior LB of the Year and Defensive MVP) who brings his experience, athleticism and aggressive tackling to the middle of the Rays defense. Yet another addition to the Rays squad is former Centurion Justin Fernley. As a giant of the sport in the 90's, Fernley made the long trip from Bundaberg to prove that despite having a few more miles on the clock than most, he still has the goods.
Despite these additions, the Stingrays were without Head Coach Steve Williams and OL/DL stalwart Sebastian Kohene due to personal commitments. Coach Diprose stepped into a familiar role as Head Coach (with an unblemished winning record to protect). For the first time the reigns of the Stingrays offense were handed to former standout Rays DB and TE James Barnes.
The Brunins opened the game with the football on the fast Runaway Bay surface, but moved the ball only 12 yards before a Tongakilo sack halted their progress on a 3 rd and 10 attempt. Rays RB Robbie Edmonds got the Stingrays show on the road with some long runs through the middle of the Bears defense and posted the first score in the game with a TD run from the 6 yard line. Low kicked the PAT. 7-0 .
The Bruins offense was still struggling to get into the game on their next possession. Good pressure from rookies Dan Maronne (LB) and Stephen Beere (DL) resulted in another sack of Bruins QB David Mailloux. DL Ivan Tanuvasa also pressured Mallioux into a hurried throw that slipped through the hands of Justin Fernley, playing at Outside Linebacker.
After an interception from Rays QB Kyle Low on a deep ball to WR Ryan Pedley, the Rays defense kept up the pressure and forced a 3-and-out. Offensive Coordinator Barnes had more success on the next possession by dialing up some short passes to Pedley and Molloy. Low was able to identify a Bruins blitz and hit Pedley in space, who picked up extra yards with some strong running after the catch. The TD was eventually scored by QB Kyle Low, as he barreled into the end zone on a QB sneak behind Centre Dennis DeCicco and Guards Andy Farrell and Ivan Tanuvasa. The PAT attempt by Low hit the post. 13-0 .
The Bruins started to find some room to move as half time loomed, but two tackles for a loss by Tongakilo and a holding penalty forced the Brunis into a 3 rd and long situation that they could not convert. Three plays into the next drive, RB Robbie Edmonds evaded a corner blitz and broke another long run through the middle for a 43 yard TD, sprung by a David Wilson downfield block. The PAT was unsuccessful. 19-0 .
A pair of turnovers leading up to half time kept the game interesting as the Bruins fumbled the ball (forced by Steve Beer and recovered by Ben Walker), but the Rays threw another interception. Low was hit while throwing and resulting pick gave the Bruins an opportunity to get on the scoreboard before halftime. Receptions for Bruins WR Pierre-Luc Marchand and a scramble by QB Malliouz brought the ball to the Rays' 25 yard line. But the Rays' pass coverage forced several incompletions and the Bruins ran out of downs before the half was called.
The second half saw the Rays turn it up a notch. Ryan Pedley's weaving and juking return gained 30 yards. On the first play from scrimmage in the 2 nd half, Coach Barnes decided to return to the long passing game and Low hit Molloy with a long bomb down the left sideline for a spectacular 40 yard TD. The successful PAT made it 26-0 .
The Bruins looked to have made some good halftime adjustments as they used a variety of plays on the ground and in the air to move the ball to the Rays' 10 yard line. But the Rays pass coverage again stood up to the challenge and the Bruins came away empty-handed. On the ensuing 12 play drive Edmonds and Pedley took it in turns to advance the ball the Bruins' 13 yard line. A powerfully delivered ball by Low to Pedley to the right sideline sealed the well executed Rays drive and took the score to 32-0 following the missed PAT.
Despite the scoreline heavily favouring the Rays, Low saw an opportunity to perform an onside kick which was recovered by Damien Molloy. The additional possession allowed TE Lawrence Tully to post his first TD of the season on a play action pass. A good turn of speed and a nifty step from Tully assisted him on his 45 yard run after the catch, eventually carrying a defender on his back into the endzone. The PAT was good. 39-0 .
The Bruins offensive woes continued as Tongakilo fell on a botched snap. This allowed Edmonds to post a final score for the Rays on a 5 yard run to end the game at 46-0 (PAT successful).
Edmonds racked up 160 yards on the ground, another 60 in pass receptions and 3 TDs. Low completed 14 of 23 attempts for 304 yards, 3 TDs and 2 Interceptions. After this confidence boosting win, the Rays now get the opportunity to play their Round 02 opponents the Wildcats and make up for their loss last week.
Coach Williams.
Round 2 verse Wildcats
After being scheduled a Bye for Round 1 of the Gridiron Queensland 2010 season, the Stingrays were eager to end the offseason by taking on the Wildcats at Daisy Hill in Round 2.
The previous week saw the Wildcats win a tough contest with the Browns Plains Bruins. Players from North America who had joined both the Wildcats and the Bruins squad made an immediate impact to the attacking firepower on display, and the Wildcats narrowly came away with the win against the Bruins 21-18.
This performance put the Rays on notice that the winning streak that was put together thoughout the 2009 season would be severely tested in Round 2 - there would be no room for first-game jitters if the streak was to continue.
With a new-look team and missing a number of starters from the 2009 undefeated championship side, the Rays took the first possession to midfield before landing a punt on the Wildcat's 2 yard line. On the first defensive play of 2010 for the Stingrays, Strantz Hettig (a Stingrays junior trying his hand in the senior division) stormed into the Wildcat's backfield and made the tackle in the end zone for a Safety.
2 -0 .
On the first play following the Wildcats' punt, RB Robbie Edmonds broke a 50 yard TD run down the right side of the field, showing excellent evasiveness and speed to make several Cats defenders miss. Edmonds has played for a number of years on the defensive side of the ball for the Rays, and has now made the switch to offense, with immediate effect. Despite missing the extra point, the Rays took an early lead 8-0 .
Some high snaps from the Rays centre stunted the offense in the remainder of the first quarter and some poor timing on some long throw saw some opportunities wasted for the Rays, despite a 30 yard reception to TE Phil Manassa allowing the Rays to drive into Wildcats territory. After coming as close as the 15 yards line, poor snaps, a sack and a pair of false start penalties pushed the ball back to mid-field and the Rays were forced to punt.
Early in the 2 nd quarter, the Rays defense attempted to win back some momentum and were helped by some bad snaps from the Wildcats, as well as some sound run-stuffing by D-Lineman Ivan Tanuvasa. On 4 th down the snap sailed over the Cat's punter's head and into the endzone. A good pursuit from D-End Sebastian Kohene forced the Cats punter to kick the ball through the back of the endzone to avoid giving up a TD to Kohene. This was ruled a safety, so the Rays Defense took the score to 10-0 .
But the Cats' offense wasn't ready to let the game slip away. After a Stingrays fumble, the Cats mounted a 10-play drive from their own 30 yard line that finished with a TD and a successful PAT to 10-7 . Cats QB Jason Lehman threw several accurate passes on the drive, including the TD pass in the back right corner of the endzone to WR Mike Jones for the score.
After the halftime break, the Rays offense extended their lead with a 15 yard TD pass from veteran QB Kyle Low to rookie Nathan Di Paola. The successful PAT made it 17-7 .
But the Cats scored the next 2 TDs. Cats QB Jason Lehman scored on a 50 yard run after catching the Rays interior D-Linemen napping. 17-21 .
More errors made it hard for the Rays to match the Cats offensively in the 2 nd half. A pass deflected off the hands of a wide open Di Paola and into the hands of a Cats DB. But Rays DB Ash Dick got one back for the Stingrays with a spectacular leaping interception.
A another long run by Edmonds and pass receptions from a combination of receivers (Ash Dick & Di Paola) set up Kyle Low's TD run from 2 yards out. Wildcats LB Austin Barnum blocked the Rays PAT attempt to keep the score difference to within a field goal. 23-21 .
But the Cats offense was in a rhythm that the Rays' tiring defense couldn't keep out of the end zone. Another long Lehman pass once again gave the Cats the go-ahead score of 23-29 .
Time remained for another shot at the endzone for the Rays. Low moved his offense 44 yards to the Cats 26 yard line, primarily through another long run by Edmonds. Blitzing Cats LB Austin Barnum caught Low on the final play of the game, sealing the win for the Cats.
Despite the loss Coach Williams was not upset with the effort that the team showed in their first outing (especially the members of the squad playing on both sides of the ball) and considers that there is vast room for improvement in the following weeks. The Rays will get the opportunity to avenge the loss in 2 weeks, when the two teams meet again. Until that time, the Rays will have to deal with a Browns Plans Bruins team that pushed the Wildcats to the very end in Round 1.
2009
SUNBOWL XXV v Kenmore Bears - 28/11/2009
The history of Gridiron Queensland shows that three teams own the distinction of winning three consecutive Sunbowl titles. The Brisbane Bulldogs won the first three in 1985, 86 & 87. The Ipswich Cougars also won three in a row from 2002 - 2004, achieved during a stretch of 8 consecutive Sunbowl appearances (6 of them against the Stingrays).
Now on the verge of winning their fourth consecutive Sunbowl, the Gold Coast Stingrays took the field in an attempt to make GQ history. There is no doubt that the 2009 Stingrays deserved their place in Sunbowl XXV. They had beaten all opponents thus far (11-0), sometimes by large margins, sometimes by grinding out games with the narrowest of leads. In particular, the Rays defensive unit had excelled all year and had only allowed 58 points in 11 games (5.27 points per game).
The Kenmore Bears had gained their place in the Sunbowl by finishing 7-3 and in 3 rd position by beating the Cougars in the week preceding the Playoffs 14-13. That win enabled them to land a playoff game against the Ravens instead of the Stingrays, which they narrowly won 22-21. The Bears' rookie QB Jared Stegman was instrumental in that tight win.
The Stingrays and Bears had met only once previously in Season 2009. It occurred in Week 1 of the competition, when most players were either still knocking the rust off from a long and festive off-season, or still carrying fatigue from State and National representative duties. The Stingrays won that game 14 - 0, but with so much water under the bridge since then, neither team could be sure how much improvement had taken place throughout the season.
In the weeks preceeding Sunbowl XXV, the Stingrays had heard rumours that Bears QB Jared Stegman (named GQ MVP) & his favourite WR would not be available for the Sunbowl due to international travel plans made before the release of the GQ schedule. However the Stingrays were not complacent and prepared for a full-strength opponent. During pre-game warmups, the Rays looked relaxed, but focused.
On their second possession, Tight End Lawrence Tully found a seam between the Bears' safeties. Kyle Low delivered the ball in space and Tully took the ball deep into the 'Red Zone'. Starting Tailback Jeff Moate then opened the scoring with a 3 yard TD run, helped by the lead blocking of Fullback Jarrod Hayes and the right side of the Rays veteran O-Line featuring former NCAA linemen Noah Parker and Daniel Collins. The PAT was kicked by Kyle Low (GQ Special Teams MVP) to make it 7-0 . The Rays had cracked the seal and could smell history in the making.
Things began to look bad for the Bears when Kyle Low then found Damien Molloy (GQ Wide Receiver of the Year) down the left sideline. Molloy evaded defenders and looked to have scored, only to be ruled out-of-bounds at the 1 yard line. Low was happy to take the honours for him by barreling through behind centre Nigel Law on a QB sneak for the Rays' second TD on the very next play. The PAT unit kept the pressure up to the Bears by taking the score in the title game to 14 - 0 .
Now that they were warming up, the Rays moved closer to their ultimate goal when Jarrod Hayes showed great strength and determination by breaking tackles on a Fullback dive by rolling, tumbling and eventually breaking free for a 20 yard TD run. His O-Line was with him all the way, some making blocks at the line and scrimmage and then again downfiled. Once again the PAT unit were successful. The writing was on the wall for the Bears as the score moved to 21 - 0 .
But as expected, the Bears began to sort out their offensive game plan and moved the ball into the Rays' Red Zone. A pass to an open Bears receiver in the end zone looked dangerous, but Cornerback Robbie Edmonds (GQ Defensive Back of the Year) arrived as the ball did and knocked both the ball and the Bears reciever to the ground. As the Rays celebrated the play, the officials suspiciously assembled, eventually awarding a TD catch to the Bears, despite the ball spilling to the ground from Edmond's hit. The officials ruled that the receiver had established posession in the end zone. 21-6 .
This exasperating call by the officials clearly disapointed the Stingrays players and coaches and could easily have affected their focus for the rest of the game. But Coach Diprose and the team had prepared themselves for such an event. The Rays put aside their frustration and decided to focus on something that they could change - the rest of the game.
The Rays offense was determined to win back the momentum. On their next possession, finding themselves in a 3 rd and long situation, the Rays went to the air. Low found an open WR Ash Dick just beyond the first down marker on a deep out route. After securing the catch, Dick juked two defenders, giving him an open path to the endzone. The PAT was good, 28 - 6 .
On the following Bears posession, penalties allowed the Bears to march into the Rays' Red Zone. The Bears had a 1 st -and-goal situation, but the Rays' goalline defense agressively kept the Bears from scoring for 3 downs. On the following down (4 th -and-goal from the 2 yard line), the Bears ran an option play off-tackle to the left. Free Safety Ben Walker closed in and stopped the QB, but as other defenders swarmed in to wrap him up, he managed to slip the ball out to the running back who then ran unopposed into the endzone to keep the Bears in the hunt for Sunbowl XXV. The Bears' 2 point PAT was also successful. 28- 14. While the Bears were behind, the game was far from over and the Rays had no doubt that it could be easily lost if they dropped their tempo.
Despite good offensive production throughout the game, the Rays offense turned the ball over 4 times. Jae Powlowski lost one fumble and Kyle Low uncharacteristically threw 3 interceptions. But the Rays dominant defense helped to ease the turnover pain by snaring two interceptions themselves. Cornerback Tim Beere continued his fairytale rookie year by picking off a pass. And when veteran Defensive Rob McKinnon intercepted a Bears' screen pass in the 4 th quarter, the cries of "BIG MAN WITH FOOTBALL!" rang out as McKinnon put together a reasonable return to the interception and finally broke the spirit of the hard-fighting Bears team.
By now the Rays knew they were in the box seat. Damien Molloy finished off his fantastic season by collecting a 25 yard TD pass from Low, who read the Bears' blitz, quickly set his feet and delivered the early long ball to Molloy.
Final Score: Gold Coast Stingrays 35 - Kenmore Bears 14
With his healthy yardage total, sturdy pass blocking and opening TD, Jeff Moate was awarded Sunbowl XXV MVP. The Stingrays celebrated while receiving the traditional chintzy medals and the the Sunbowl trophy. Not only did they celebrate a great undefeated season (12-0), but the Club had made GQ history by winning four consecutive Sunbowls. The Stingrays can now set their sights on chasing the record of the Sydney University Lions, who have secured their 7 th consective Gridiron NSW Championship this year.
The Club would like to thank GQ and the Wildcats Gridiron Football Club for hosting Sunbowl XXV and thank the Kenmore Bears' players and coaches for a hard-fought game played with great sportsmanship. Thanks also go out to all GQ teams and League volunteers who made the 2009 GQ season successful and enjoyable.
Special thanks also to the Gold Coast Stingrays players, coaches, volunteers, supporters and families in 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009.
Stingray Pride!
Coach Williams
Round 12 v Bruins 14/11/09
After having a bye in Round 11, the Rays looked to round out the 2009 GQ regular season as undefeated Minor Premiers as they faced a tough Bruins team. In their Round 8 clash with the Bruins, the Rays came away easy 35-0 winners. But the Bruins showed how much they have improved since then with plenty of size and potential on display. While the Bruins struggled offensively with turnovers (David Wilson was credited with multiple strips), the Bruins played a very physical brand of defense and pressured the Stingrays runners and kept Kyle Low and Damien Molloy from inflicting the same level of damage as in Round 8.
Jae Powlowski returned from central Queensland to carry the ball for the Rays at Tailback. Powlowski broke a long run from around the 50 yard line on the Rays first drive and looked to be on his way to the end zone, but was cut down at the 10. The Bruins stopped Powlowski for no gain on the next play. After two incomplete passes (one dropped in the end zone), the Rays came away empty handed.
Aggressive defense was the theme from that point from both teams. Ezra Clayton and the rest of the Rays D-Line kept hunting Bruins QB Dayton Edwards. On some occasions, Edwards was sacked, on other occasions he managed to make things happen by scrambling for first downs or finding ways to connect with his receivers. This kept the ball moving and out of the hands of the Rays offense. When the Rays did gain possession, their execution wasn’t to its usual standard and points were hard to come by.
A Bruins fumble recovered by Sebastian Koehene gave the Rays an opportunity just before the half, but despite a good run by Powlowski and a reception by rookie Matt Bell, halftime came with the score at 0 – 0.
The mood at halftime in the Rays camp was one of some concern, since they had easily accounted for the Bruins in the last game, and were aiming to improve with every game as they approached the playoffs. While the minor premiership was secured, the Rays didn’t want an ‘L’ to stain their regular season record, but they would have to fight for it. The Bruins weren’t giving them an inch.
The second half saw the defense from both sides relentlessly pursue the ball carriers and stopped any long gains. Despite moving the ball well, the Rays were unable to find the end zone until Low scrambled out of the pocket to his left and hit TE Lawrence Tully as he extended his route across the field to give Low a deep outlet. The PAT was good to give the Rays a narrow 7-0 lead.
As the Rays defense continued to get the job done, some opportunities seemed available to the Rays on the edges of the Bruins defense. On a reverse play, WR Ash Dick looked to be escorted by a wall of blue blockers down the left side of the field, but was pulled down by the Bears corner back who managed to slip between two blockers.
The Bruins hopes for a late score to keep them in the game was lost with two more fumbles that were recovered by the Rays. Final Score 7 – 0 and the Rays has escaped with the Minor Premiership and their undefeated status.
Next stop: the Playoffs!
Round 10 v Wildcats - 24/10/2009
Round 10 of GQ season 2009 saw the Wildcats struggling to remain in the playoffs race, and the unbeaten Stingrays returning to their home ground and looking to continue to build towards the business end of the season against quality opposition.
The Rays were missing a handful of starters (Ivan Tanuvasa LT, Nick Nahas MLB, Ash Dick WR & Jae Powlowski RB & Kelvin Howsan DL) but their depth chart has been developing well all season, so they started the game confident, but wary of the Wildcats offensive weapons, particularly QB Richard Kovlacheck.
The Rays received the opening kickoff but were unsuccessful in moving the chains on their first few possessions. Typical strong rushing from Jeff Moate gave the Rays some momentum and a pinpoint Kyle Low pass to Damien Molloy looked sure to be a like a TD but a great play by a 'Cats defender caused Molloy to fumble the ball through the end zone. The result was a Wildcats ball at their own 20 yard line.
Despite this setback, Jeff Moate continued his strong running and scored up the middle on a 2 yard run after a Lawrence Tully catch and run set up the Rays with great field position. 6-0 .
The Rays defense applied good pressure to the 'Cats QB, but he was often able to find room to thread the ball to his receivers. But the Rays DBs were up to the task and were rewarded with an interception by rookie Tim Beere
Craig Young got his first TD catch with a catch in the endzone. Young had to contend with a defender also making a hard play for the ball but came away with the catch and the 6 points for the Rays. Low hit his second PAT for the day to take the score to 14-0 .
Kovelcheck constantly threatened the Rays defense but was let down by his reveivers who dropped a number of well thrown passes in space. But the Cats kept themselves in the game with a long drive which was sealed with a score from the 5yard line. 14-6.
Defensive lineman Sebastian Kohene worked relentlessly all day to disrupt the opposing QB and forced incompletions through pressures and hits. His efforts combined with good defensive hustle from sideline to sideline from the entire defense saw the 'Cats stopped on a 4 th down goal line stand.
With the ball back in Low's hands, the Rays offense moved the ball despite a muffed handoff which gave the Rays a 4th down with a long way to go to get the first down. But Lawrence Tully found space in the middle of the field and Low connected with him to move the chains. Handing the ball to Moate was the obvious choice at this point in the game and the Rays punched the ball in from 10 yards out. Final Score 21-6.
With the loss of the Ravens in Week 9 to the Rhinos (17-14) , the Stingrays secured the GQ minor premiership and now look to their final game against the Bruins next week to tune-up for the finals. Round 9 v Spartans - 17/10/2009
On their second trip to the Sunshine Coast this year, the Stingrays played the local Spartans team. Being a first year start-up club, the Spartans have been on the end of a few lopsided score lines this season. But the Stingrays were impressed with the attitude and skill of the Spartans team, particularly on defense where the Spartans players rallied to the ball and used gang-tackling to absorb the hits dished out by RB Jeff Moate and the Rays offensive line.
Not content just to limit points against them, the Stingrays defense decided to score one of their own. Robbie Edmonds took the interception and returned it the distance.
The Rays were missing starting QB Kyle Low but Damien Molloy again filled in at QB and efficiently ran the offense in his absence. As expected, Molloy used his speed and elusiveness to make plays, ending up with 3 TD runs. Molloy's passing was improved from his last effort, completing 6 passes, including one impressive bomb down the right sideline to Ash Dick.
Jeff Moate also ran in a score to produce a final score line of 32 - 0. The Rays defense was undoubtedly the dominant force in the game, scoring one TD and forcing several fumbles. David Wilson recovered four fumbles in the game, including one return for a good 40 yards. Game Report: Bruins Round 8
The Rays moved to 7-0 and are 4 competition points clear of second place as they enter a well deserved bye week. Their 34-0 win over the Browns Plains Bruins was a comprehensive victory, with the offense scoring 28 points in the first half and the defense forcing the Bruins' basic offense to fight hard to win any ground.
Kyle Low clinically connected with Damien Molloy twice for long TD strikes (60yd & 35 yd).
With several starters out on both sides of the ball, the Rays again showed their depth. Phil Manassa again got valuable playing time at Tight End and Matt Bell stepped up to start at Wide Receiver. Bell collected a handful of receptions on the day, but none more memorable than when Bell caught a pass downfield and was stopped 10 yards out from the endzone, saw Tight End Manassa nearby and elected to throw a lateral pass. Unfortunately, Manassa was standing 5 yards directly upfield at the time. Although it entertained the crowd, the referee's sense of humour doesn't stretch quite that far and the Rays were penalised for the illegal forward pass. Bell has now been fully informed of the forward pass rules of football.
Ben O'Connor played the full game at Tailback and was the main beneficiary of the consistent Offensive line play. He racked up approx. 150 yards rushing and also bagged 2 TDs (20yds & 35yds). It could have been a 3rd, but O'Connor somehow managed to dive out of bounds at the 1 yard line with no defenders in sight after a 60 yard run. Perhaps it was to allow Kyle Low to add to his scoring tally this year by rumbling in for the TD on a QB sneak on the very next play. O'Connor also provided effective pass blocking against the larger Bruins defense.
Ash Powdrill was another picking up his first start at Fullback (assisted by Adam Fewson). Receiver Craig Young also registered his first catch of the season and ran strongly after the catch. More players are consistently emerging from the Rays bench and are pushing for starting positions.
The second half saw the Bruins' grinding offense devour most of the clock. They put together a string of first downs (some through very avoidable penalties) that kept the ball out of Kyle Low's hands. While this served to limit the Stingrays' final score, the Rays defense weren't distracted and kept the scoresheet clean for the third time this season. They have allowed less than 6 points per game.
The Defence once again was dominating at LOS and were stout when backed up into their own Red Zone after a series of fumbles and penalties against both sides and hel the Bruins to a Goose Egg.
Coach Diprose was pleased with the first half but felt the standard of play in the second half was sloppy,
The Stingrays have a bye next week before meeting the improving Sunshine Coast Spartans in the first ever clash between the two teams.
Game Report: Ravens Round 6
This game featured a top-of-the table clash w ith the 5-0 Stingrays playing the 4-0 Ravens. The Ravens ha d put up some big scores in the preceding weeks and the Stingrays have constantly improved and have dominated at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
After the Rays defence stifled the Raven's first offensive possession, the Rays offensive Line went to work. Each of the Rays O-linemen outplayed their opponents with running back Jeff M oate rarely touched before reaching the second level of defenders. But whenever Moate was confronted at the line of scrimmage he broke tackles, moved the pile and generally brutalized the Ravens defence.
The Rays exploited several holes in the Ravens defence and opened the scoring with a 20 yard run from Moate. Low slotted the PAT to make it 7-0 . The Ravens didn't seem to have many answers as all of the Rays offensive players registered contributions, culminating in another Moate TD run to take the score to 13-0 . The snap on the PAT spoiled the kick.
The Ravens got their comeback aspirations going with a long drive, ending on a scoring pass from Ravens QB Harry Alderton. In attempt to close the gap on the scoreboard as quickly as possible, the Ravens went for the 2 point conversion, only to be denied by a Stingrays Defence, which seems to play with even more sprit when challenged. Dave Wilson made the tackle on QB Alderton as he stretched out for the goal line. 13-6 .
The defence was able to play with an attacking style which helped the Rays stay on top and as the half time break approached Moate scored his 3rd TD for the day from 5 yards out. 18-6 . Another errant snap on the PAT gave holder Damien Molloy a chance to make something happen. With the ball in hand and sprinting for the left pylon, TE Phil Manassa was open in the end zone and looked certain to catch an easy pass to score the 2 points. But Molloy saw an opportunity and decided to go himself, breaking the plane of the endzone while diving over the pylon. 20-6 .
After the half the Ravens put another score on the board to keep the game alive. Alderton again scored the points, showing a good turn of speed to beat the Rays 'backers to the edge and finding the end zone to take the score to 20-12 .
Kyle Low's precision passing was on show once again throughout the game. He also showed his ability as a running threat with several big gains after smart reads from the shotgun. One of these runs hit pay dirt in the 4th quarter as Low ran it in from 10 yards out with barely a Raven in sight. With a better snap from centre Nigel Law, Low again kicked the PAT. 27 - 12 .
Low connected with Molloy frequently as the two are now showing the consistency and rapport they have been renowned for over the past 3 seasons. Fellow receivers Ash Dick, Lawrence Tully and Jarrod Hayes also picked up good receptions. The final score of the game saw Molloy make a diving catch at the back of the endzone . The PAT was good. 34-12 .
As the game wound down in he 4th quarter, Tyson Smith registered his first career reception. The Rays are looking forward to seeing what Smith and fellow rookie WR Matt Bell will be able to achieve when they see more playing time in the coming weeks.
Back from injury, former junior Stingray running back RB Ben O'Connor also contributed to the running yardage totals. Despite Losing a fumble, O'Connor has shown that he can deliver a change of pace and even mor e depth at running back along with Moate, Powlowski & Hayes. Coach Diprose was very happy with such a well rounded win against a previously unbeaten team - " With so many guys contributing today , it makes submitting The weekly awards votes very difficult. The plan from here is to keep the good form rolling to the playoffs" .
Next weeks sees the Stingrays go on the road to the Sunshine Coast to tale on the Bruins. This will be a great opportunity for our new players to show us what they have learned from all their hard work at training so far.
Game Report: Rhinos Round 5
The Gold Coast Stingrays moved to 5-0 after beating the Rhinos 27 - 14 at Wooloowin on Saturday, a rematch of the 2008 Sunbowl.
The Stingrays struck first with a 20 yard TD pass from Kyle Low to Damien Molloy. Molloy's 'circus trick' receiving skills were put to use as he snatched the pass from in front of a defender before falling the 2 yards left to break the plane of the end zone. The PAT wasn't successful so the score stood at 6-0 .
Despite the Rays defence being back to full strength, the Rhinos were not ready to be pushed around and scored on a 60 yard run to level the scores at 6-6 . The Rays defence wasn't able to wrap up the Rhinos running back who evaded and broke several tackles before finding some open space to run away for the score. The Rhinos was successful on the 2 point conversion, taking the lead 6-8 .
This marked the first occasion that the Stingrays have been behind in any of their games this season. But they clearly weren't phased as the offense came back to score, making it 13-8 on the back of a Jeff Moate run. Moate ran strongly all day and racked up big yardage behind typical blocking from the Stingrays offensive line. The drive was set up after a nice intercept by DB Robbie Edmonds at around mid field.
Missing starting centre Nigel Law, the veteran Daniel Collins moved from right tackle to take up his old position at centre. Chris Mooney has been solid filling in on the offensive side of the ball this season and he reliably held up his end at right tackle. Tony Dorrell's first game back this year saw him at left tackle while Noah Parker and Andy Farrell continued their solid play at guard. Farrell had his best game of the 2009 season and was seen making several key blocks for Moate to exploit.
The defence had some starters returning this week, including Australian representative Rolando Hanipale and middle linebacker Nick Nahas. Ezra Clayton also joined in the fun on the defensive line pulling off the biggest hit of the season so far right in front of the Rays sideline.
In the second half, Lawrence Tully scored on a well placed ball from Low taking the score to 20 - 8 and giving the Rays some breathing room. But the Rhinos came back after putting together a good drive and scoring on a 3 yard run to keep themselves in the game: 20-14 .
After being under some pressure last week against the Cougars, the Rays offense knew what to do from that point. Eager to reward their defence for creating turnovers, they rolled down the field for the winning score. Jeff Moate crashed through the Rhinos D-Line from 4 yards out. Final Score 27-14 .
The Rays receivers have finally started to warm up with Molloy, Tully, Bell & Manassa all registering at least one catch each. However Rays coaches won't be pleased with turning the ball over twice. The first occurred when Low was picked off in the end zone after a Rhinos defender made a good play on the ball in flight. The other came from a Jeff Moate fumble, which no doubt Moate will be keen to make up for in the coming weeks.
Next week the Stingrays take on the only other remaining unbeaten team - The Bayside Ravens at Wacol at 7pm on Saturday 26th September. This will surely be the most important regular season game in the GQ competition this year. The weekend can't come fast enough for the Stingrays players and coaches.
Gold Coast Stingrays
Record:5-0
Points for: 122 (24.4 points per game)
Points against: 27 (5.54 points per game)
Opponents so far:
v Bears 14 - 0
v Wildcats 27 - 6
v Wolves 42 - 0
v Cougars 12 - 7
v Rhinos 27 - 14
Bayside Ravens
Record: 5-0
Points for: 153 (38.25 points per game)
Points against: 58 (14.5 points per game)
Opponents so far:
v Cougars 18-13
v Wildcats 39 - 29
v Rhinos 26 - 16
v Wolves 70 - 0
Game Report: Cougars Round 4
Some called it courageous, some called it foolish, but Damien Molloy was appointed the starting Quarterback for the Gold Coast Stingrays in Kyle Low's absence. Molloy finished the game with modest passing statistics, but threw no interceptions, controlled the huddle and navigated the Rays to a 12-7 victory over the feisty Western Cougars. It would be a victory that tested the Rays to the end.
With more than 10 starters unavailable for the game, the Rays were always going to have to pull together to keep their season on track. An early injury to new Running Back Ben O'Connor (standing-in for an injured Jae Powlowski) forced a re-shuffle for the Rays offense, which saw Jarrod Hayes once again carry the load at Running Back. Rookies Adam Fewson and Ash Powdrill shared the Fullback duties and Phil Manassa found himself in the thick of the fight at TE in only his second game.
But the Rays found ways to move the ball both on the ground and in the air. The first score of the day came on a spectacular 60 yard TD run from Hayes, assisted by sharp blocking by linemen Ivan Tanuvasa and Andy Farrell to spring Hayes into the secondary. From there Hayes benefited from spirited blocking from rookie WR Matt Bell to crash through into the end zone. After missing the PAT, the score stood at 6-0 with plenty of football to come.
Unsurprisingly, the Rays defence was again suffocating, consistently intruding into the Cougars' backfield (Collins, Wilson, & Howsan), swarming runners (Perrett & Mooney) and plucking passes from the air (Robbie Edmonds). The Cougars had few answers on offense but continued to fight.
It was after Edmonds' interception that the Rays offense again moved into scoring range. From the 8 yards line, a passing play broke down and Molloy took off with his signature elusiveness and found the goalline to take the score to 12-0. Another botched PAT meant that the Rays were solidly in front, but by no means safe.
The momentum began to shift towards the end of the first half, as the Ray's big men started to tire from playing both ways. Marcus Kemp's stint at QB was disrupted by poor blocking and a pair of sacks. But the Rays still led 12-0 at the break, feeling confident but knowing complacency would be dangerous. .
The third quarter was a tough one for the Rays. The Cougars came out with all guns blazing on defence and marched the Rays backwards. In the 3rd quarter, after a well placed Cougars punt, the Rays were bogged down on their own goal line. Penalties and poor execution stifled progress. After a fumbled exchange between Hayes and Molloy, the Cougars recovered possession at the Rays' 2 yard line.
To prevent a score from that position was almost asking the impossible of the Rays defence and the Cougars punched the ball in and nailed the extra point to make it 12 - 7. All of a sudden, the game was in the balance and the Rays knew they had to dig deep to hold off their strong-finishing opponents.
But dig deep they did. With approx. 5 min remaining, Kel Howsan clocked-in at Fullback. Inspired by his wrecking-ball blocking style, the Rays marched down the field, munched up the clock and moved the chains with brutal running between the tackles and some deft deception on reverses (Ash Dick) and QB bootlegs. Hayes fought for every extra yard as the Stingrays took it all the way to Cougar's red zone as time expired.
The roster will feature many players returning for next week's matchup with 2008 Sunbowl rivals - the Northside Rhinos. Coming off an unexpected loss to the Ravens, the Rays shouldn't expect the pressure to ease.
Game Report: Wolves Round 3
The Stingrays Defense has been dominant in thier encounters so far in 2009. In thier clash with the Toowoomba Wolves last weekend, the Stingrays Offense this week also showed that they intend to have an impact this year.
Starting Running Back Jae Powlowski opened the Rays account with a 1 yard run to cap off a tidy Stingrays drive . Soon after , Damien Molloy snared a 15 yard TD reception from Kyle Low. The Stingrays' rookie Fullbacks continued thier contribution to the ground game with Adam Fewson picking 6 yards and a first down on a handy scamper behind the Rays' interior O-Line (Nigel Law, Noah Parker & Andy Farrell).
The Wolves' defense used blitzes to try to upset the Rays rhythm, collecting one sack and forced a fumble for a turnover, limiting the Rays to 2 TDs before the half. After the break the Rays continued passing the ball and got valuable game time for several of thier rookie receivers. But it was Molloy who was first among the points in the second half with a long 35 yard TD reception down the sideline, again delivered by Kyle Low.
After Jae Powlowski was injured a kick-return, the versatile Jarrod Hayes filled in at Running Back and showed his Sunbowl-winning form at that position by continuing the scoring on a 20 yard TD run. That was thanks to impressive blocking from Law, Parker and Dan Collins.
No wanting to be left out, Lawrence Tully notched up his first score for the year with a TD reception from inside the red-zone. Molloy finished off the scoring with a TD run from the QB position, taking his tally to three TD's for the day.
The Stingrays need to continue this momentum next week against a more experienced defense when they face thier old rival, the Western Cougars. Tough games against the Rhinos and Ravens in the coming weeks will test if the Rays are ready to stake a claim for an unprecedented 4th consecutive Sunbowl victory.
Final Score 42 - 0
Game Report: Wildcats Round 2
The Stingrays took on the Wildcats for the 'local derby' in Toowoomba over the weekend and came away with a convincing 27 - 6 Win. The Rays Defense was dominating against the run and with constant pressure on the Wildcats QB they were able to limit their passing game to modest gains but several easily catchable balls being dropped by the Wildcats receivers must have had Coach Vasquez pulling his hair out in frustration.
With three starting Linebackers unavailable for the game D-End Dave Wilson stepped back to Linebacker and played well and landed himself his first interception, the Defense also welcomed back Dane Holmbeck after a year off with injury who combined with Ben Tucker having been moved from Wide Receiver for the game into the End positions and both played a great game along with the interior D-Lineman in not allowing the Wildcats QB to feel comfortable in the pocket.
The Stingrays Offensive line continued to provide the muscle for Running Back Jae Powlowski (3 rushing and 1 receiving), who accounted for all of the Rays touchdowns, taking his total for the season to 5 TDs in just 2 games. Rookie Fullback Aaron McKeown also started to contribute to the rushing attack with some effective carries.
The blustery Toowoomba conditions and a few dropped footballs limited the Stingrays' passing attack, however QB Kyle Low managed to keep the Wildcats defense guessing with sneaks, scrambles and some deep balls to WRs Damien Molloy and Ash Dick.
Disappointingly, discipline deteriorated late in the fourth quarter as a lack of focus and as fatigue set in with three stupid penalties giving the Wildcats 45 Yards and the opportunity for a late score in which they were able to convert into their only points for the game. The team will need to improve to ensure we don't allow any more displays like that.
Next week we take on the new Toowoomba Wolves at Birkdale, the Wolves have showed plenty of determination in their first two games so the Rays will need to be prepared.
From
Coach Dipper
Coach Steve
Round One verse Bears
Game Report: Coach Dipper and Coach Steve
The Gold Co
ast Stingrays kicked off their '09 season with a win over the Bears, the Bears presented with a change from years gone by of run first and often to a very pass heavy offense.
The Stingrays Defense was tested several times by the arm of the young Bears QB but with great effort from the DB's especially from Robbie Edmonds with some very athletic moves on some key third downs and a strong push from the D Line they were able to hold the Bears out, their first 'Goose Egg' and hopefully one of many this year.
With key lineman out due to other commitments it was great to see others step up to fill in on the day, with a special mention to Chris Mooney who was able to work off some of the holiday/USA buffet fest joy by starting at both Guard and Sam Linebacker.
A big congratulation goes to the Stingrays Rookies, there are plenty of them and even though there were a few typical rookie moments they have made some great progress and some real time game experience was a perfect progression from the pre season training they have been working very hard at.
The ground attack for the Rays performed well lead by Jae Pawlowski, he looked very close to breaking some long runs and will be very dangerous in the coming weeks. This was all behind an O-Line that dominated their opponents in the 2nd half despite not being at full strength.
The Stingrays offense put themselves in a position to score another 4 touchdowns but failed to capitalise. More focus is needed to finish drives and provide a buffer for the defense to defend. We expect that they will make more of their opportunities in the future.
Damien Molloy continued to show why he's one of the biggest playmakers in GQ, with a handful of critical receptions to move the chains. Veteran Jarrod Hayes' versatility provided the Stingrays with the opening score as he collected a 35 yard TD strike from Kyle Low.
The team has plenty of room for improvement but the coaches are pleased with were the team is headed and with work can see more success coming forth.
Next week the local derby when we'll take on the Wildcats in Toowoomba,
From
Coach Dipper
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