Sea Eagles lose to Comets
Steve Zemek | 21st March 2010
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[img=278x400]http://media.apnonline.com.au/img/media/images/2010/03/20/SSS_21-03-2010_SPORT_06_190056m_t325.jpg[/img]
Sea Eagle, Phil Morwood makes a charge against the Comets yesterday at Stockland Park.
Cade Mooney
A depleted Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles have slumped to the first Queensland Cup loss of the year, going down to the Central Comets 32-18 at Stockland Park yesterday.
The Sea Eagles were behind the eight-ball from the get-go after halfback Trent Hodkinson was called into Manly’s NRL squad for their clash with Parramatta today.
Their woes were compounded two minutes into the match when hooker Cameron Joyce left the field following a head knock.
Joyce remained on the bench for the rest of the game as a precautionary measure but the Sea Eagles failed to adapt to the loss of their two key playmakers.
Coach Brandon Costin said his troops adjusted admirably, but conceded their heads weren’t in the game.
“I’m not going to jump up and down if we lose. I’m not going to jump up and down if we win,†he said.
“There are some disappointing aspects about the game. I don’t think we were mentally switched on at the start.
“I thought we built into the game. But it was too late. You’ve got to be ready before the warm-up.â€Â
Central skipped out to a 10-nil lead after 10 minutes after tries to Broncos-contracted half Ben Hunt and winger Junior Auru.
The home side hit back when second-rower Darcy Lussick latched on to a Daly Cherry-Evans grubber.
The Sea Eagles struggled for direction in the first half as Ben Whiddon moved into hooker to cover the loss of Joyce.
Oddly, Costin elected to play with only one half in Cherry-Evans, shifting an extra man into the forwards.
They looked like they had clawed their way back into the game until Comets centre Karl Johnson bulldozed his way over the line just before halftime to give the Rockhampton team a 16-6 lead.
The Sea Eagles hit back through Lussick with a try which was almost identical to his first.
However, it was almost all one-way traffic from there on as the Comets laid on three tries in quick succession.
They capped the win with a memorable try when Auru chipped and chased for himself before scooping the ball infield for Matt Minto who dived over the line.
The Sea Eagles were struck a blow late in the game when Kyle Lodge limped off with a hip injury.
Ben Whiddon scored a consolation try on the stroke of fulltime for a final scoreline of 32-18.
CENTRAL 32
Junior Auro 2, Karl Johnson, Dallas Williams, Ben Hunt, Matt Minto tries; Ben Hunt 4 goals.
SEA EAGLES 18
Darcy Lussick 2, Ben Whiddon tries; Dennis Sandow 2, Michael Chapman goals.
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/03/21/shot-down/
