By Matthew Stirton
Queanbeyan Kangaroos have jumped to the top of the Canberra Raiders Cup ladder after beating the Queanbeyan Blues 27-12 on Saturday, taking revenge for a 56-0 thumping in the clash between the teams earlier this year.
The win extends the Kangaroos' unbeaten run to eight consecutive games and puts lifts them to the front of the pack chasing the minor premiership halfway through the season.
Queanbeyan Kangaroo Troy Whiley makes a break.Credit: Elesa Kurtz
Star performances from five-eighth Brent Crisp and centre Bryan Cronan helped the home side secure the win to bring their total points to 18 after 10 games.
The Kangaroos ran riot in the first half, scoring four unanswered tries to storm to an 18-0 lead over a disappointing Blues outfit.
Two tries to Cronan and tries to winger Kody Parsons and utility Lachlan Cooper capped off the first-half haul for the Kangaroos as the Blues tried to stay in the contest.
The Blues started to fire in the second half as their players returning from injury, Luke Branighan and Jamal Nchouki, helped launch a comeback.
They scored two tries not long after the break, but any hope of a fightback was killed off by the rampaging Kangaroos.
Crisp slotted a penalty to put the Kangaroos eight points ahead before scoring a try to stroll across untouched under the posts to seal the win.
Crisp conceded it wasn't his side's best performance but said the taking top spot on the ladder was a bonus.
"We were still a bit scratchy, but always happy to get the two points and happy for the win," Crisp said.
"We still have a lot to work on still, as people would have seen today, but playing against the Blues they may say they have a lot to work on too.
"All our young kids are really standing up and proving they are first graders not just 18s".
Disappointed Blues coach Simon Woolford said they took their time getting back into the game, which was a defining factor in the side's loss.
The Blues are the best defensive side in the competition but they were never able to really get into the contest against the Kangaroos.
"The result was disappointing; our first 20 minutes was the disappointing thing," Woolford said.
"Teams just don't score tries that easy when we are on, and obviously not playing footy in the last month, it took us a while to get into the game.
"In the middle we worked pretty hard and as far as a physical battle goes we did really well, we just played dumb at times but we will be a lot better next week."
AT A GLANCE
Canberra Raiders Cup round 10: QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 27 (Bryan Cronan 2, Kody Parsons, Lachlan Cooper, Brent Crisp tries; Crisp 3 conversions; Crisp field goal) bt QUEANBEYAN BLUES 12 (Adam Misios, Jamal Nchouki tries; Eko Malu 2 conversions); WODEN VALLEY RAMS 46 (M Gilmore 3, G House, J Pheeney, T Crome, C Ellis, J Taws tries; T Crome 5, K Harawira 2 conversions) bt BELCONNEN SHARKS 16 (S Naeata, J Crane, L Ries tries; D Eason, S Lomax conversions); GUNGAHLIN BULLS 28 (D Howell, B Wood, K Madden, R O'Sullivan, C O'Shannessy tries; J Scholes 4 conversions) bt TUGGERANONG BUSHRANGERS 18 (Q Cannon, B Neil, J Pollard tries; I Hayman 3 conversions)
Reserve grade: QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 38 bt QUEANBEYAN BLUES 12, WODEN VALLEY RAMS 48 bt BELCONNEN SHARKS 6, GUNGAHLIN BULLS 26 bt TUGGERANONG BUSHRANGERS 18.
Under-18s: QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 26 drew with QUEANBEYAN BLUES 26, TUGGERANONG BUSHRANGERS 18 bt GUNGAHLIN BULLS 14
Ladies league tag: BELCONNEN SHARKS 44 bt WODEN VALLEY RAMS 0
George Tooke Shield: BUNGENDORE TIGERS 38 bt ADFA KNIGHTS 6, HARDEN HAWKS 20 bt NORTH CANBERRA BEARS 18, GUNNING KANGAROOS 30 bt BOOROWA RAIDERS 10
GTS Ladies league tag: BUNGENDORE TIGERETTES 50 bt ADFA KNIGHTS 0, BUNGENDORE TIGERETTES 54 bt ADFA KNIGHTS 0, HARDEN HAWKETTES 18 bt BOOMANULLA RAIDERS 0