Resilient Seagulls Still Have Top Four Finish As Goal

Neil Cadigan – Tweed Media

A top-four finish and a second chance to stay alive in the Intrust Super Cup final series is a possible reward if the Campbell Construction Co. Tweed Seagulls if they can beat the in-form Townsville Blackhawks at Pizzey Park on Saturday (2.10pm).

The Seagulls go into the match just a point behind equal second placed Wynnum Manly, Redcliffe and Burleigh with the Blackhawks – who have won six of their past seven clashes – also eyeing a finals place.

Wynnum Manly play runaway ladder leaders Norths Devils on Sunday, opening the opportunity for the Seagulls to go back into the top four if they are victorious tomorrow – their stated goal since the early rounds.

Tweed are resigned to completing their season with a small squad that does not include any Gold Coast Titans players who have played in the NRL season and four NSW-based players who cannot cross the border.

But Ben Woolf’s side has shown character and resilience in spades this season and he is looking for that attitude tomorrow. Without some key players, they still boast plenty of ISC experience, a splattering of NRL experience and a tremendous team spirit and tough defensive attitude which has been moulded during the stop-start 2021 season.

They know what they are up against at Pizzey Park – a Blackhawks side that includes players familiar to Gold Coast/Tweed footy fans in centre Josh Hoffman, the 189 NRL game veteran (including 49 with the Titans) who played five Tests for New Zealand, and winger Kalifa Faifai-Loa, also a Kiwi international, who had two seasons with the Titans during his 78-game NRL journey.

Joining them is lock Corey Jensen who was released from the North Queensland Cowboys’ bubble after nine NRL appearances this season (and 58 in all).

“They’re always a tough side and are in the category with the likes of Wynnum, Redcliffe and Burleigh who never seem to be affected much by not having NRL players because of their depth,” said Woolf.

“We haven’t got any more players training regularly with us than the 18 we’ve named for tomorrow and we’re hoping Talor Walters will be right to come back from a back injury the week after. Some of the guys we’ve used this year are playing in the Gold Coast competition in teams looking at the finals and we’re conscious of disrupting them and then we have Colts players to call on.

“We might know more about availability of any Titans players after this weekend but we’re preparing to finish the season with what we have, and no games at Piggabeen, and we know it’s a strong enough squad to make a statement in the finals.

“These guys who are there have showed they can step up and play really well at this level as a group and we’re looking for them to do the same again.”

The last time the two teams met was in round 15 of 2019 with the Blackhawks winning 24-22 in Townsville. The Seagulls complete the competition rounds against PNG Hunters at Bycroft Oval the following Saturday.

The teams for tomorrow’s clash with Townsville Blackhawks at Pizzey Park at 2.10pm:

TWEED SEAGULLS: Jack Mackin, Brayden McGrady, Treymain Spry, Lee Turner, Ryland Jacobs, Will Brimson, Luke Jurd, JJ Collins, Brent Woolf, Harrison Muller, Lamar Liolevave (capt), Juwan Compain, Braden Robson. Interchange: Liam Hampson, Darius Farmer, Stuart Mason, Jack Glossop, Tevin Arona.

TOWNSVILLE BACKHAWKS: Jaelen Feeney, Michael Carroll, Michael Bell, Josh Hoffman, Kalifa Faifai-Loa, Kyle Laybutt, Shaun Noa, Joe Boyce, Josh Chudleigh, Sam Hoare (capt), Riley Price, Patrick Kaufusi, Corey Jensen. Interchange: Bacho Salam, Tom Hancock, Kieran Quobba, Sioni Lousi, Sam Murphy.