The Tweed Heads Seagulls Mal Meninga Cup (under-18s) side head to Davies Park in Brisbane tomorrow with the best for-and-against difference of any of the 15 competing teams after scoring 36 points or more in their past five games.
While this gives the team confidence going into the clash with Souths Logan Magpies (3pm kick-off), co-coach Brad Davis admits the team will have to be ‘on’ and adjust to the extra intensity that will be thrown at them by their opponents, which includes two of Brisbane Broncos’ best prospects.
After losing the first match in the seven-round competition 34-16 to the undefeated minor premiers Norths Devils, the Seagulls have taken all before them with wins of 42-10 away against the Melbourne Thunderbolts, 36-6 against Burleigh Bears, 72-6 against the Blackhawks in Townsville, 66-12 against Wynnum Manly and 48-12 against Easts Tigers.
They had a bye in round four, finishing second on the ladder behind the Devils with a points differentiation of 200 points (280 to 80).
Blake Campbell has led the way in the second row, while halves Tom Dearden (the competition’s top points scorer with 94) and Toby Sexton (10 tries) have been dominant.
Fullback Glenn McGrady, brother and spitting image of Seagulls Intrust Super Cup centre Brayden, has scored seven tries in a backline that has shown a lot of class and been able to score from any part of the field.
However, the Magpies pose a big threat with boom halfback Tanah Boyd and second-rower and captain David Fifita their dominant players.
Both represented Australian Schoolboys last season from GIO Cup winning team Keebra Park and were contracted by the Broncos.
“We lost the first game in the wet against the Devils who are a big, physical team, so conditions didn’t suit our style of play, but we’ve performed really well since then,” said Davis, who is co-coach with former Queensland Cup premiership winning teammate Tim Maccan.
“We couldn’t have asked more from the team since then, but we know the fact we haven’t had a tough lead-in is a question mark hanging over us.
“It will be different in the physical point of view, probably a lot more stoppages and will have to handle that well.
“But we have built a lot of belief in our ability to score points and have to just work hard to put us in position to do that.”
The Seagulls team is:
Glenn McGRADY, Indiha SAOTUI-HUTA, Caleb HODGES, Xavier COATES, Kiu NUKU-NGALA, Toby SEXTON, Tom DEARDEN, David BUTLER, Jed EDWARDS, Lazeryth SUA, Juwan COMPAIN, Blake CAMPBELL, G. CHAPARI. Interchange: Noah GAFA, Jaylan TO’O, Carsil VAIKAI, Corossian AFOA, Quaid PIRIHI-ROSE.
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