By Liam Cook

Four wins from five contests, Easts 2023 form was at it’s most impressive against UQ on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers kept last year’s runners up scoreless in the second half and scored ten points of their own in front of a pulsating home ground environment for the first time this year.

Coach and former Wallabies’ captain Ben Mowen was full of plaudits for his side’s performance.

“It was a great win and important to get away at first home game with a bonus point win,” Mowen told Rugby News.

Solid as a rock in the second stanza defensively, Easts are evidently buying into a robust style of play.

Other than a narrow loss to Bond, the Tiger’s resistance and cohesion has been fundamental to their success.

“Clearly the team are really playing for each other which is the most important characteristic,” he said.

“We are still building our attack but our defence has been standing tall.”

While defence has been the cornerstone of their game, Easts’ backline lit up Bottomley Park against UQ with incisive attacking raids.

Winger Jordan Carriera kickstarted the Tiger’s afternoon with a blistering long range run and link with his scrumhalf, Eli Pilz.

“Carriera has exploded back from a delayed start to the year… after a slow start Eli Pilz is playing great footy,” Mowen said of the pair.

In conjunction with the ever-reliable likes of Aidan Leeming and Alex Smit, just to name a few, the injection of youth also has diversified Easts’ mix.

“Tau Tuisamoa at 8 has been outstanding… whilst yet to fully get out of the gates, Meli Dreu at 15 is playing better footy in 2023 but has so much more growth left in his game and will be a future superstar.”

With the core of their squad firing after a confidence boosting win against UQ, there will be no limits placed on Easts’ potential in 2023.