Young Guns down Burleigh in
Queensland Cup

The North Queensland Young Guns have taken out the Queensland Cup Grand Final with a resounding 36-6 victory over the Burleigh Bears at Lang Park today.

The North Queenslanders scored six tries to one and never looked like losing.

Burleigh were their own worst enemies early on as simple errors frustrated their efforts. The Young Guns dominated the first 40 minutes and at half time held a handy 18-6 lead.

The Bears had their chances in the second half but were simply outclassed by the Young Guns' defence. Some superb support play saw the minor premiers go further ahead, putting the match beyond doubt.

In winning their first ever Queensland Cup, North Queensland were applauded by coach Grant Bell who cited the team's consistency throughout 2005 as a driving factor in the result.

"The boys have worked so hard all year and we were up against a great opponent today," he said.

"Burleigh, they've been a wonderful side for a number of years, and just to come up with a result like that is a wonderful achievement for them."

The Mixwell Cup grand finals saw victories to Easts and Norths. In the Mixwell Cup, Easts defeated Burleigh 31-22. The Mixwell Colts Challenge saw Norths defeat Wests 28-18.

NORTH QUEENSLAND YOUNG GUNS 36 Tries: David Myles 2, Shane Muspratt, Neil Sweeney, Clint Amos, Jason Barsley Goals: Neil Sweeney 6 defeated BURLEIGH BEARS 6 Tries: Trent Leis Goals: Reggie Cressbrook

--------------------------------------------------------------------- QRL.COM.AU REPORT: DYNAMIC duo Shane Muspratt and Brent McConnell have orchestrated the largest ever win in a Queensland Cup grand final, as North Queensland stormed to a 36-6 victory over Burleigh at Suncorp Stadium.

Despite looking ominous on paper, the scoreline did not truly reflect the intensity of the battle, which remained as tight as 18-6 until the 71st minute.

In particular the opening half was brutal. After a thunderous barrage of tackles, a brawl erupted in just the second minute. Tempers again frayed when Burleigh?s Adam Hutchison caught Jaiman Lowe high in the seventh minute.

The two best defensive teams in the competition continually smashed into each other at full pace, with the Young Guns? greater speed in the play-the-ball creating the edge.

A penalty for the high shot on Lowe allowed Neil Sweeney to post the first points of the match and after the initial breakthrough North Queensland found its groove.

In the 13th minute, a spectacular Young Guns? movement featured a batted pass across the ground, followed by a between-the-legs hurl and then halfback McConnell wrapping around winger Neil Sweeney to cross in the corner.

Unfortunately for the northerners, match officials found a forward pass in the lead-up and refused to award the try.

It mattered little as Burleigh turned the ball over in prime position almost immediately after, dragged across the sideline and setting the platform for a David Myles try in the 15th minute.

Boasting plenty of NRL experience, Myles ran a neat line off the shoulder of Daniel Strickland, with five-eighth Muspratt setting up the play.

Burdekin boy Muspratt was constantly involved and he followed up with a dangerous run from dummy-half seven minutes later, carrying three defenders across the line.

At that point the Young Guns led 12-0 and threatened to blow the game apart. Indeed, it took something special to peg them back, if only momentarily.

Both named in the Queensland Cup 10 Year Team, Burleigh flyers Reggie Cressbrook and Trent Leis produced a 90m kick return to score in the 28th minute.

Cressbrook drifted across field to his right after catching the ball, attracted two men and passed to an unmarked Aseri Laing, with the ball then finding Leis on the inside.

Back in the hunt, the defending premiers had a chance to draw level in the moments following, but Laing was brought down just short of the line by the smaller Dean Payne.

In end-to-end action, a hot-stepping McConnell burst in the clear around the same time, with ?Jockey? feeding the ball onto backrower Mark Dalle Cort.

Dalle Cort met fullback Cressbrook 10m from the tryline, wrestling to get within inches before being subdued and tricked into a double movement.

Burleigh would have gleefully gone into the sheds down 12-6 at halftime, but it was not to be.

Skilful big men James Andersen and Wallace Solomona added two smooth passes to a rudimentary hit-up in the 38th minute, leaving McConnell in open space once more.

This time he found the quicker Sweeney in support, able to outpace cover defender Leis in a 50m race to the line. With a 12-point buffer the Young Guns were far more comfortable as they traipsed to the sheds.

From that point scores remained stagnant for more than half-an-hour as the arm wrestle for silverware resumed.

Burleigh received a welcome flux of possession to start the second stanza, but the North Queensland line proved virtually impenetrable.

First Cressbrook was held up while trying to burrow through a handful of defenders, requiring the assistance of video referee Tony Maksoud.

Then Laing was spectacular hogtied by Muspratt as he set sail for a try that could have changed the shape of the game.

The Bears had thrown what seemed a dozen hot-potato passes in the lead-up and, had they scored, their confidence would have soared.

Muspratt though, came from the opposite side of the field to extinguish the flames, putting his body on the line to interrupt the 105kg winger.

If that wasn?t the defining moment of the game, then McConnell provided it shortly after when he kicked a 40-20 to relieve a build-up of territorial pressure.

North Queensland did not score straight away, but as the Bears? spirit gradually eroded the inroads became easier.

Ultimately it was former Burleigh junior Clint Amos who drove a stake into the hearts of the Gold Coast faithful with a cheeky try from dummy-half in the 71st minute.

Then three minutes later inspirational captain Daniel Strickland put Jason Barsley in the clear. It was sweet revenge for Barsley, a member of the Easts team which lost in extra time to Burleigh last year.

As the crowd of 6893 marvelled at the silky skills of the Young Guns, the victors produced one last try for the day.

Fittingly, McConnell chipped over the top for Muspratt to regather and handle twice, before throwing a basketball pass for Myles to complete his double.

Having secured North Queensland club?s first premiership in any grade, Myles was then swamped by a host of teammates who dived on him in jubilation.

NORTH QUEENSLAND 36 (David Myles 2, Shane Muspratt, Neil Sweeney, Clint Amos, Jason Barsley tries; Neil Sweeney 6 goals) beat BURLEIGH 6 (Trent Leis try; Reggie Cressbrook goal). Halftime: North Queensland 18-6.