On the back of strong performances from several Storm players Easts Tigers recorded a convincing 52-20 win over Ipswich Jets on Saturday.
Thunderbolts product and Tigers junior Brodie Croft was a standout in his Intrust Super Cup debut while a weight of possession and dominance up the middle proved the difference.
Matt White and Christian Welch lead the Tigers pack as they controlled the contest from the moment White opening the scoring after just four minutes.
Be at AAMI Park when we take on the Panthers, Saturday 4 June, 7:30pm.
Croft showed his class in the halfback role, setting up Dean Britt to score in the 15th minute before going over himself soon after during a five-try, first half blitz by the visitors.
“Brodie was exceptional to be honest for a 19-year-old who only met his teammates at two o’clock on Saturday afternoon. He came in, did his role and did it perfectly,” Easts coach Scott Sipple said.
“He handled himself very well, it was a good outing for him. He came with a lot of energy and he looked like a first grader.”
In another good sign for both Easts and Storm, Slade Griffin made a promising return to the field after 13 months out through injury.
Coming off the bench and playing at lock, Griffin showed some great signs in his 55 minutes of game time.
“Slade made a few breaks and had some good touches. He went exceptionally well actually for his first hit out,” Sipple said.
“He played more minutes than I thought he would for his first hit out. He took advantage of our go forward through the middle with some good dummy half darts.
“He was very happy with the performance, I said to him his goal was to throw some rust out and he did that.”
That win moved Easts into the Intrust Super Cup top four but they will face a much tougher test this Sunday when they host the top-of-the-table Townsville Blackhawks.
Easts Tigers 52
Tries: Matthew White, Leon Ellia-Niukore, Dean Britt, Brodie Croft, Dane Chang, Guy Hamilton, Mathew Pitman, Tommy Butterfield, Billy Walters
Goals: Billy Walters 8
Ipswich Jets 20
Tries: Carlin Anderson, Wesley Conlon, Nemani Valekapa, David Fa’alogo
Goals: Haydan Lipp 2
