THE weather produced a mix bag but there was nothing inconsistent about the Central Comets in their strong 32-18 victory over the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles today.

Playing their first match at Stockland Park since their stunning grand final win over the Pride, the Sea Eagles were blown away by a clinical Comets outfit that handled everything the defending premiers and the weather Gods dished up.

Sunshine Coast coach Brandon Costin described the conditions as “crazy”.

Regular showers swept across the ground and on more than one occasion the sun poked through to heat things up.

Stung by the early loss of classy hooker Cameron Joyce, the Sea Eagles conceded two early tries and could never make up ground.

A head knock forced Joyce from the field in the opening set of the game.
Ben Whiddon slotted in at hooker and did his prospects of winning a permanent starting berth no harm with a sound display.

“Considering we lost Cameron so early in the game, I thought we did quite well,” Costin said.

The Sea Eagles were also without leading Queensland Residents halfback Trent Hodkinson, who was called into the Manly NRL team.

But even Hodkinson’s presence may not have been enough to stem the Comets’ surge.

“They were really good,” Costin said of the visitors.

“They played patient, they played with control and they put a lot of pressure on us.”

Big centre Karl Johnson was at his devastating best, notching two tries in a menacing display.

Ian Webster also made inroads out of dummy half as the Comets snared their second-straight Intrust Super Cup victory.

http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=23631

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