Round 9 – Brothers swamp Magpies at soggy Souths

May 31, 2025, Round 9 Souths v Brothers

Brothers have sloshed their way through yet another sodden weekend of Queensland Premier Rugby, drowning out Souths at the home of the Magpies to win 24-17 in a gritty victory that sees the first half of the season with Brothers well on the way to confirming another finals-series berth. The celebrations were club wide, with Brothers’ Second Grade coming from behind to pinch victory at the death, Third and Fourth Grade enjoying big win alongside Colts 3, and Colts 2 and Colts 1 only just missing out after some very strong performances. The weekend’s results see Brothers leading the Doughty Shield over Wests at the half way point of the season, 214 points to 211 in what is proving to be an increasingly close race.

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With conditions noticeably worsening at the onset of the second half, firm, reliable play was essential for either team to take territory, and some classic wet-weather pick and drive slogging ensued in the first eight minutes.  Souths again found themselves on the back foot and staring down a rampaging Brothers forward pack, who forced Souths into an infringement with an easy-does-it maul try to Fourie being the result.

Up by two tries, Souths had to be the next to score, and score they did, with their entire back row combining in a way that would make the backs blush to shift the ball to the left corner in the hand of Kohen Herbert and put them in touching distance of the Brethren.

This seemed to incentivize the Magpies, with a relentless tide of pressure coming off some brilliant control of space, putting the home side in the right position to force Brothers into an error exiting their own territory. Souths then pressed the attack, slipping and sliding their way forward in an unstoppable wave of phases, with prop George Francis spotting a gap and smashing across the line to reduce the margin to two points with eleven minutes to play.

As is so often the case with this Brothers team though, they found away to weather the storm, finding themselves mid-field and with tiring Souths defenders desperately trying to close down a Will Wilson led counterattack. Wilson indeed looked to have assisted directly to the winning try, offloading to Will Cartwright who spilled the ball over the line.  However the reserve scrumhalf made immediate amends, intercepting poorly time pass by his opposite number a pass that may yet haunt Souths entire remaining season, making the gap a converted try with scant minutes to play.

Despite a desperate drive down field by the home side, that very nearly resulted in winger Villiamia Lea taking a screamer of a try in the left corner, Brothers simply wanted it more, taking the number 11 out of play and exiting cleanly to kill off any chance of Souths salvaging a draw.