Sport
21 June, 2021
Goosebumps finish in local derby
IN a nail-biting finish Clint Posselt has taken the Mareeba Gladiators over the line in the local derby match up against the Atherton Roosters last Saturday winning 26-22.
IN a nail-biting finish Clint Posselt has taken the Mareeba Gladiators over the line in the local derby match up against the Atherton Roosters last Saturday winning 26-22.
The first game in the Tableland Cup came down to the wire as both teams fought hard to keep each other out of their ends.
The game begun quickly with Atherton’s Anthony Curcio opening up the score followed closely by teammate Gideon Larry.
Stand-in Gladiators captain Clint Posselt did not sit idly by as he answered back quickly with his first try of the match, and this certainly would not be his last.
Just before the teams headed into the sheds for half time Clint made a successful dive for the line tying up the game 12 all. Sonny Rea came out after the half and secured another try for the Gators putting them in the lead.
Both sides were fighting tooth and nail to keep the other pinned down, not allowing either side any room to break through.
A penalty kick by Mareeba’s Trezman Banjo pushed the gators lead further however the Roosters did not sit idly by as Ben Whybird muscled his way through the defense and over the line.
Atherton’s fastest legs Ty Grogan took a chance and ran half the field stepping around Mareeba’s defense to secure another try for the Roosters, and tying it up once again at 20 all.
Now in the last legs of the game both teams were fighting back and forward trying to squeeze that last winning try through.
Roosters took advantage of a Gladiators mistake and secured a penalty kick to bring them two points in the lead.
It looked all over for the Gators in the last minutes of the game before a brilliant kick from Shaun Stephens brought them hope, and within meters of the Roosters line.
After a brilliant run by Kurt Jackson it was all or nothing for the Gators as they set up in the final seconds.
Clint Posselt drove the nail in the coffin in the final seconds of the game as he took a dive from dummy half, getting both him and the Gators over the line, final score 26-22.
Captain coach Trent Barnard said he will be aging a lot this year with all of the close games the Gators have been experiencing.
“Like I’ve been saying the last month or so, one day we we’re going to get one and it will turn our season around,” he said.
“The boys had a shot at a 40-20 and it paid off, Kurt had a massive run and nearly scored then Clint took advantage played smart and sealed the game for us.”
“It was a classic derby just a roller coaster,” Clint said.
“Like Trent said these last two or three weeks we have really been building towards this.
“We were building towards this game, we still have a lot to work on but we should gain a bit of momentum from this.”
The Gladiators will now face Edmonton on the road while the Roosters travel down to Tully to face the Tully Tigers.
