Neil Cadigan
Exciting fullback Jayden Campbell will return to Campbell Construction Co. Tweed Seagulls side to take on fifth-placed Northern Pride in tomorrow’s Intrust Super Cup clash at Piggabeen Sports Complex.
The 21-year-old, who travelled with the Titans side to Sydney last weekend as 19th man, had been in brilliant form for the Seagulls in the first five rounds and comes back into a strong backline, even with the loss of strike centre Treymain Spry through illness.
Coach Ben Woolf has the benefit of good depth right across the squad and certainly versatility in the backs which will enable a shuffle of positions that should cause little disruption.
Lindon McGrady will revert to five-eighth (from fullback) and Will Brimson switch to the centres. Brayden McGrady, initially listed as 18th man, comes onto the wing, with Ryland Jacobs dropping to the bench.
Campbell’s elusive running from the back has been a feature of Tweed’s excellent form this season that sees them in second spot behind the unbeaten Wynnum Manly. They will benefit from his presence against the North Queensland Cowboys’ feeder side that has won three and drawn one from their six matches, including a 26-16 victory last weekend against a Souths Logan Magpies team that included NRL-experienced players Corey Paix, Tom Dearden, Albert Kelly, John Asiata and Tesi Nui plus Broncos squad member Kobi Hetherington.
Tweed are chasing their fifth straight win in a game that celebrates last Saturday’s three-try winger Talor Walters’ 50th ISC appearance.
“They’re going to be pretty tough; they’ve been going well while slipping under the radar a bit,” Woolf said of the Pride.
“While some of their more prominent Cowboys players who were there earlier in the year have moved back up to the NRL, they’ve got some good young Cowboys squad members like big forwards Heilum Luki and Ieremia Nanai.
“The Pride will definitely be tough; they’re travelling pretty well without making too much noise. Their big forwards are their strength and we have to match them in the middle but that’s been one of our strengths this season.
“We’re fortunate that we have such good depth in the backs, as shown by being able to rest Treymain who has been crook during the week and still have Ryland Jacobs on the bench, who can cover the backs or time in the forwards.
“We haven’t been perfect and still haven’t had great completion rates but we’re finding ways to win games without a lot of possession which reflects our defensive attitude and our ability to get points when we do have the ball.
“It’s a tough competition though and we have to maintain our consistency and enthusiasm every week, especially against teams like the Pride who are playing with a lot of confidence.”
Other Tweed Seagulls matches this weekend:
BHP Premiership (women’s) – Central Qld Capras v Gold Coast Airport Tweed Seagulls at McIndoe Park, Emerald, 4pm
Hastings Deering Colts – Tweed Seagulls v Northern Pride at Piggabeen Sports Complex, 1.30pm
The ISC teams:
Tweed Seagulls: Jayden Campbell, Talor Walters, Will Brimson, Lee Turner, Brayden McGrady, Lindon McGrady, Toby Sexton, Jai Whitbread, Brent Woolf, JJ Collins, Lamar Liolevave (capt), Joe Vuna, Darius Farmer. INTERCHANGE: Liam Hampson, Ryland Jacobs, Kirk Murphy, Luke Burton.
Northern Pride: Jayden Corrigan, Shawn Bowen, Grant Anderson, Evan Child, Bernard Lewis, Todd Steadman, Matthew Egan, Rod Griffin, Chris Ostwald, Nick Lui-Toso, Joshua Stuckey, Heilum Luki, Tom McGrath. INTERCHANGE: Ieremia Nanai, Terrence Casey-Douglas, Ewan Moore, Paea Pua.
Round Details:
- Tweed Seagulls v Northern Pride, Saturday May 15 at 3.30pm
- Piggabeen Sports Complex, Carramar Drive, Tweed Heads
- COVID safe practices will be enforced
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