Unlikely field goal hero Kalifa Faifai Loa saves Brothers from upset: RLTD

The Rugby League Townsville leaders were staring down the barrel of their first loss since round 1, trailing Souths Bulls 18-6 with 10 minutes to play before storming back to triumph 19-18.

With their nine-game win streak in danger, tries by Sione Lousi and Faron Morris – the prop’s second of the game – set the stage for the thrilling conclusion.

A clutch one-on-one strip by Brothers centre John Cullen gave the Fish great field position and that’s when Faifai-Loa stepped up to attempt a field goal with 30 seconds remaining.

In 190 professional matches Faifai-Loa had never converted a field goal but his attempt flew true.

At first Brothers coach Michael Parker-Walshe didn’t know who had won him the game, but said it was a good lesson for up-and-coming wingers.

“I’ve seen him kick field goals at training and he usually strikes them pretty well but I actually didn’t know it was him – I thought it was Jesse Pomare-Anderson – and then after the game they told me it was Kalifa,” Parker-Walshe said.

“He’s an experienced guy with plenty of big game experience and for him as a winger to go in and look for that opportunity to nail the game, he’s put himself there and it’s a great lesson for any young guy who is learning their craft, and that is to go and put yourself into the game.

“Kalifa certainly did that yesterday and all credit to him because he nailed it.”

Despite coming away with the victory to keep their impressive win streak alive, Parker-Walshe said his team would need to be better in the lead up to finals.

“The game as a whole was pretty scrappy, both teams made a lot of errors and it probably wasn’t the best game to be involved but I think it would have been good spectating,” he said.

“It came down to the wire and we were lucky enough to get the result.

“We understand that we’ve still got plenty of work to do and we certainly weren’t at our best.”

Charters Towers winger Troy Miller crossed for two tries in a thumping 48-10 victory over the Burdekin at Bill Lewis Oval.

The Miners have not lost a game in seven weeks.

Herbert River’s own winning streak ticked over to three with a 38-12 triumph over Norths at Bushland Beach.

A double to young centre Kohen Briggs helped carry Centrals to a 32-14 win over Lions.

Western Lions seized the RLTD women’s minor premiership with a 44-12 smashing of Centrals but Tigers coach Scott Andrews insists the race for the overall title is far from over.

Centrals paid the price for a slow start as the Lions roared to a four-try lead in the opening minutes but the second half was an even affair.

Andrews admitted the Lions were the better team on the day but warned that his players had learned their lesson from the battle of the big cats.

“We played a far better second half than our first, put bodies in front of bodies when we were defending and our defence really tightened up and we controlled the footy when we had it,” Andrews said.

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“I absolutely have confidence that we can bring that second half energy when we meet them again.”

Lions coach Michael O’Neil said it was his side’s own defensive grit – characterised by holding out the Tigers when down a player for 10 minutes – that sealed the win.

“The old adage is defence wins games and they certainly are buying into that this year,” O’Neil said.

Originally published as Unlikely field goal hero Kalifa Faifai Loa saves Brothers from upset: RLTD