Moerewa Tigers ended their season slightly off key after they were beaten 24-10 by Turangawaewae in the national club competition at Whangaparaoa on Saturday.
Turangawaewae, the runners up in the Waikato-Bay of Plenty club competition, proved too strong in the second half of the match after the Tigers had led 10-8
at halftime.
The manager of the Northland rugby league club champions, Tom Tauranga, said the match got away from the team in the second spell after the Waikato side had used their big forwards effectively to launch attacks at the Moerewa line.
"We played pretty well in the first half but they used their substitutions very well and brought their big boys on at the right time and they were too hard to stop," he said.
Tauranga said the team struggled to understand the referee's interpretations which only added to their frustration in the second spell.
The lack of respect for the official only added to the emnity between the teams, which finally spilled over into a brawl in the final minutes.
"It didn't affect the match too much but it had been building for a long time. There was plenty of niggle right throughout the game," he said.
"In the end they deserved to win but it was pretty close and it didn't change the fact that we've had a good journey together this season, in what has been a very long season for us."
