Hostplus Cup: Round 1 vs Wynnum-Manly Seagulls (Catchup game)
Round 1 catch up of the Hostplus Cup is coming up this Easter Saturday as the team are at Piggabeen for the first time in 2025 as they take on the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the ‘Battle of the Fries’ sponsored by McDonalds
Kick off at 2:00pm
The team are looking to bounce back strong after consecutive losses to the Bears, Jets and Hunters and it does not get any easier this weekend facing a tough and physical Seagulls side.
Check out the team list below:
“One of my other goals is to play Cup this year. That’s been one of my main focuses to take that next step and play for Tweed in Q Cup,” Weaver said.
The first Seagulls’ casualty was second-rower Joe Vuna who was escorted from the field off in the 18th minute with a serious knee injury. After sprinting out of the line in defence, Vuna collapsed without any contact with another player with what looked like an ACL injury.
It took the Seagulls only four more minutes to post another try when lock Braden Robson crossed after a good look to the left, move to the right and excellent pass from dummy half Brent Woolf. Lindon McGrady landed the conversion to give Tweed a 10-0 lead after 23 minutes.
The Seagulls have only once this season not given up a lead either by halftime or in the second half, failing only once to peg back the deficit – in the second round 36-24 loss to the unbeaten Wynnum Manly. In four of their five victories – against the Capras, Magpies, Bears and Jets – they have shown the character and confidence to overhaul their opponents (they led most of the game against Redcliffe, the Gulls’ best win of the season).
With the Gulls hot on the Panthers tail, the penalty count quickly turned out of their favour contributing to the 20-4 full time margin.
The women’s team will go into their second season confident of their ability to compete at this new level. In 2019 they produced the club’s first State of Origin women’s player in back-rower Jessika Elliston who switched from rugby sevens to league only last season.
“I was just sitting at home. It was pretty random, I wasn’t expecting it,” Aiken told nrl.com.au.
ISC hooker Christian Hazard played for Queensland Residents and Titans-contracted centre Treymain Spry for Queensland under-20s Origin. Jessika Elliston was the Queensland women’s Origin team member.
“This season we’ve had Seagulls players like Juwan Compain come from under-20s play Intrust Super Cup at age 18 and Ioane Seuili play a whole season of ISC with the Seagulls at 19 before he goes into an NRL contract with us. That experience will be invaluable for him, as is has been for Treymain Spry at the age of 19.
Five-eighth Luke Jurd became the major playmaker with Taylor a late withdrawal and hooker Brent Woolf playing the entire game in the halves, and he handled the role well despite constant kick-pressure from Pride forwards that saw him smashed to the ground several times after squeezing out kicks.
“Talor has been really good on the wing and Lindon at fullback too, so it has given us extra attacking edge with them both playing so well,” Woolf said.
The Gulls’ effort against the unpredictable Jets was led up front by props John Palavi and Jarrod Morfett and hooker Christian Hazard (pictured) who was returning after a month out with a hamstring injury.
After the home side had stoically defended their line for an extended period, Ash Taylor inflicted his class into the clash in the 29th minute when he put Ioane Seiuli through the line with a clever no-look short pass and Seiuli found McGrady backing up with two others for a good try that started in Seagulls’ territory. McGrady added the extras for 12-0
Vowles quickly moved through the 21s to reserve grade at age 18, under the coaching of Graham Eadie, then debuting in first grade in 1993 and winning the club’s player of the year award in a line-up that included Kevin Campion, Jamie Goddard, Jason Hetherington, Terry Cook and Scott Sattler who also went on to represent Queensland, and internationals Dale Shearer and Brent Todd.
The loss was the fifth straight for the Seagulls – four of them against the top four teams on the ladder – and they must regroup now before playing against the Capras at Ilfracombe in north-west Queensland as part of Country Week.
Here are the video highlights of Sunday’s match at Dolphin Stadium in Brisbane that saw the Tweed Seagulls crowned the national under-18s champions with a 48-14 win against Illawarra Steelers.
The Magpies again would be at the mercy of Seagulls’ Walsh, as he delivered a superb pass to second rower Brendan Piakura who made no mistake in crossing to further the lead to 24-6.
