Townsville Blackhawks hammer Mackay Cutters 60-10
March 20, 2017 12:00am
MICHAEL THOMPSON
BLACKHAWKS VS CUTTERS at Jack Manski Oval. Carlin Anderson about to score after a chip and chase for himself
BLACKHAWKS VS CUTTERS at Jack Manski Oval. Carlin Anderson about to score after a chip and chase for himself
BRING on Redcliffe.
That is the word being said around the Townsville Blackhawks following Saturday’s 60-12 thumping of the Mackay Cutters, which saw the Blackhawks run in 10 tries and fullback Carlin Anderson secure a new club record for points in a game with 28.
Anderson’s two tries and perfect 10 conversions saw him overtake Kyle Feldt’s previous club record of 24 points and stake his claim as the Intrust Super Cup’s premier No. 1 with a dazzling display of attacking football that ran rings around a flat Cutters’ outfit.
The win was the third biggest in Blackhawks history, behind the 78-6 and 74-12 thumpings of Burleigh and Central Queensland respectively, and takes them to the top of the ISC ladder after three rounds.
Waiting for them this weekend is competition favourites and traditional ISC big shots Redcliffe, who suffered an upset 18-10 loss to Easts, but it seems nothing can stand in Anderson’s way given his current form.
Anderson joined Blake Leary and Jonathan Rueben in scoring doubles during Saturday’s game at Jack Manksi Oval, which also resulted in Townsville drawing first blood in the revamped Foley Shield competition.
Corey Jensen, Andrew Niemoeller, Kierran Moseley and Samsen O’Neill crossed for the Blackhawks other tries, Jensen getting the game’s first after just three minutes.
“We planned all week to go through the middle and our forwards really set it up for us,” Anderson said.
“They get the go forward for us and that’s how we can play footy.
“The set the benchmark and allow me to do my thing, and when I see opportunities … I’m going to take it everyday
“I wanted to come into a structured team but I also wanted to bring that X factor, and by using that on the back of good metres it’s a really good combination.”
Anderson’s best moment came on 65 minutes when he chipped over Mackay’s defensive line, kicked again past Cutters’ counterpart Jack Joass and pounced on the ball to score next to the posts for his second four-pointer.
The Blackhawks led 30-6 at halftime despite an early arm wrestle that saw scores locked at a try a piece, but the Blackhawks second try — scored by Leary midway through the half by busting through a yawning gap in Mackay’s defensive line — opened the floodgates.
Making matters worse for Mackay was having 12 men for 10 minutes when Nicholas Hynes was sin-binned for a professional foul midway through the half
Braden Uele provided Mackay’s only second half highlight with a barnstorming try, running over the top of Anderson, but it remained one way traffic from then on.
“Our forwards did an outstanding job,” Blackhawks coach Kristian Woolf said.
“They laid a really good foundation and the likes of Michael Parker-Walshe and Kierran Mosely were really good, and obviously Carlin Anderson did a really good job on the back of it.”
There were no major injury concerns for the Blackhawks, although Jensen could face a nervous wait after being placed on report for a late high tackle.
