MAD dogs and footballers went out in the midday sun at Lakeside Sporting Complex for the Tea Gardens Hawks vs Gloucester Magpies do-or-die elimination final on Sunday, 27 August.

The Hawks hammered Gloucester hard, exhibiting a show of strength and pace that was interrupted by several dodgy calls and subsequent scrums, with the first score being a two-point penalty kick to Gloucester – not the best way to score in a final.

Gloucester’s offence proved piecemeal at best, while the Hawks just seemed to want it more.

The Hawks’ first try came after Bills zoomed in from 30 metres out, passed to Schultz, who barged over the line for the first ‘real’ score of the game, cemented by Shaqueil Saunders’ easy first conversion.

Gloucester wasted possession-time, raking the Hawks’ backline left and right, finding no cracks, losing the ball and giving the Hawks a 30 metre gain.

After a sustained Hawks’ push and solid passing, Tito leapt through the strained Gloucester defence to score, setting up another easy Saunders conversion.

Merely three minutes into second half, a serrated attack by Bills and Shaq sawed through the left wing, then passed it in to Robinson who grounded it between the posts.

A fourth Hawks’ try by Ryan Saunders came immediately from the kick-off, to the screams of zealous Hawks’ supporters at the end zone, and son Shaquiel’s next conversion.

Atkins took it to score in the left corner after Simon ploughed through four Magpies, whose arm across the line from a pile of Maggies delivered a sixth try, then a seventh Hawks’ try by Bills in the corner.

Gloucester finally scored for real with ten minutes left, but Perry rolled over three defenders to return the favour with an eighth Hawks try, and Shaq’s’ sixth successful conversion.

A consolation Gloucester try didn’t soften the blow of elimination, with the final score of 44-10 to the Hawks boding well for next week, when they face Karuah on neutral ground in the semi-final, not to be missed!

By Thomas O’KEEFE