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• Brothers v Sunnybank

Sunnybank cemented a top two spot and put Brothers' hopes of defending their premiership title at risk when they snatched a 33–22 win with three intercept tries at Crosby Park.

Sunnybank will play minor Premiers University next week for the Welsby Cup, in a dress rehearsal for the major semi-final a week later, while Brothers need to beat the Gold Coast with a bonus point next week to claim a semi-final spot.

After their upset defeat at home last weekend against the Sunshine Coast, the Dragons came out firing against Brothers muscling up in defence strongly throughout the match to force several mistakes including the crucial intercept tries.

Brothers wore a special edition pink playing strip for charity on ladies' day at Crosby Park, but the Dragons refused to join the party and looked to assert their dominance on the match from the get-go.

An early try to Sunnybank outside centre Rota Setu was matched by a close range try for Brothers through number 8 Simon Price but Sunnybank lengthened their lead early in the second half with some tight forward play leading to a try by Sualauvi Lilomaiava and a lead of 19-7.

Just as Sunnybank were beginning to dominate proceedings Brothers found a dearly required extra gear to level the scores with a duo of tries to fullback Angus McLean.

With the Dragons a man down due to a yellow card to flyhalf Ben Tapuai, Brothers looked to take the game away from Sunnybank. However, two more intercepts on the back of some disciplined and bruising Sunnybank defence, one to flanker Nigel Ah-Wong and the second to Ben Tapuai following his return to the field, saw Sunnybank run away with the match.

A dejected Brothers' coach, Zane Hilton, rued his side's inability to win regularly at home this season.

“We've lost four in a row at home, you can't keep losing at home and expect to be competitive. To not even take a (bonus) point out of today is really disappointing,” he said.

“We've just got to go down to the Gold Coast now and get a bonus point victory.”

Rob Nowlan, coach of the Sunnybank side credited their strong defence and assertive game plan for the high number of intercept tries.

“Brothers play a very wide expansive game and we knew they were going to do that so we got up in their face and what happened, happened,” he said.

“We tried to play to our strengths and to their weaknesses, we tried to play up the middle and stop them from going wide and while it could have been better it was good.”

Sunnybank now ready themselves to take on top of the table University and despite having an assured second place finish, they won't be taking it lightly.

“It's never a dead rubber against the top team. You want to bash them, there's no point to prove but we want to play well against them and let them know it's not going to be a cruise through the finals for them.”

Sunnybank 33 (N Ah Wong, R Setu, B Tapuai, M Feaunati, S Sovala tries, B Tapuai 2 cons, R Kingi 2 cons) d Brothers 22 (A McLean 2, S Price tries, D Murphy 2 cons, pen)

Match report by Lincoln Humphries