It’s the clash coined ‘The Flockbuster’ and plenty will be at stake when the battles between the Intrust Super Cup’s Seagulls – Tweed Heads v Wynnum Manly – takes place at Piggabeen Sports Complex this Sunday (2pm).
With the teams equal third on the ladder locked on equal third spot with Townsville (but separated by points differential) after three wins from four games, the clash will be a highlight of a big weekend of rugby league action at Piggabeen.
It starts with the Gold Coast Airport Seagulls women’s team playing at home for the first time against Toowoomba at 3pm Saturday and goes into the Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup (under-18s – 11am) and Hastings Deering Colts (under-20s – 12.30pm) fixtures on Sunday.
The Ben Campbell Group Seagulls ISC side are unbeaten at home this season after impressive wins against PNG Hunters and the Blackhawks and there is an increased toughness and belief in Ben Woolf’s side.
“Wynnum are a really good side and it will be a step up from last week (a 26-12 win against CQ Capras in Rockhampton),” Woolf said.
“They have recruited well and have a very strong forward pack and a very strong fullback returning the ball (Eden Gebbie), so we are going to have to improve defensively and play out the full 80 minutes.”
Skipper Cheyne Whitelaw and halfback Christian Hazard made their first appearances of 2019 last weekend and brought experience and enthusiasm to the side and they will be vital to the Seagulls’ plight in their first appearances at Piggabeen this season. The inspirstional Whitelaw was the players’ player in his first hit out for nine months after wrecking his ACL in the corresponding game against the Capras last year.
Teenage centre Treymain Spry returns to the side after missing last Saturday’s clash with concussion. However, with the Gold Coast Titans taking an extended squad to Auckland for Friday’s clash with the Warriors, Spry and Leilani Latu, who has been playing strongly for the Seagulls, will be the only members of the Titans on hand this Sunday.
Yet having a ‘spine’ that are part of the Seagulls side that has trained together all pre-season – Hazard and Lindon McGrady in the halves and good mates Talor Walters at fullback and Jack Cook at hooker – playing together for the second time this season will be an advantage.
All Intrust Super Cup teams and referees will wear red socks this weekend to support a little Queenslander with a rare condition that requires bone marrow transplants and blood transfusions.
Grayson Little, who turns two on Thursday, is one of only a few children in Australia who has Dyskeratosis congenita (DC). Grayson has had two bone marrow transplants and multiple blood transfusions. The Queensland Rugby League has introduced the Red Socks Round to support the family and others in need.
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