So close you could hiss it: Snakes held in the dying moments

By Chase Christensen 

The Caboolture Snakes were just moments away from breaking their season-long drought but were forced to settle for a 26–26 draw against Maroochydore in a thrilling contest on Old Boys’ Day. 

It was a performance full of heart and grit from the Snakes, who came into the match as underdogs against the third-placed Swans. Earlier in the season, Maroochydore had comfortably beaten Caboolture 34–8, but this time around the Snakes weren’t going down without a fight. 

The home ground was buzzing with energy before kick-off thanks to a strong crowd that had rolled in for the club’s annual Old Boys’ Day, which also featured a Masters match earlier in the afternoon. That energy translated onto the field, where the Snakes produced one of their best showings of the year. 

The game was try-for-try from start to finish. The Snakes actually won the try count, crossing five times to Maroochydore’s four, but it was the goal-kicking that proved costly in the end. Maroochydore’s Jai Smoothy nailed all four of his conversions and slotted a two-point penalty goal just before halftime, which turned out to be the difference. The Snakes missed two of their conversions and that proved the deciding factor in what could have been their first win of the season. 

Still the effort was a far cry from the week before when Caboolture were thrashed 56–16 by Beerwah at home. The turnaround in energy and execution was clear from the opening whistle. 

Led by a determined forward pack and some sharp work from their halves the Snakes looked dangerous every time they had the ball. Their defence also stood up under pressure, with desperate tackles and scramble defence keeping Maroochydore from pulling away. 

It was the closest Caboolture has come to a win since their narrow six-point loss to Nambour in June. But unlike that game, where they were chasing for most of the contest, this time they went toe-to-toe with one of the competition’s top sides and held their own. 

Coach and players looked understandably disappointed not to come away with the win, but there were plenty of positives to take out of the performance. The effort, commitment and belief were all there—and the fans, many of whom have stuck by the team through a tough year, had something to cheer about at last. 

The Snakes are still searching for their first win, but Saturday’s draw showed they’re not far off. It wasn’t the result they wanted; however it was a big step in the right direction. 

With a handful of games left in the regular season, the Snakes will be hoping to build on this momentum and finish the year strong. If they can bring the same energy and intent to their remaining matches, that breakthrough victory may finally be just around the corner. 

For now, the Snakes can hold their heads high. They proved they can match it with the best—and on a day celebrating the club’s history, they reminded everyone that there’s still plenty of fight left in them yet!