Tweed Seagulls RLFC, proudly backed by the Seagulls Club, are on the road again this week as they take on the Burleigh Bears at UAA Park, Gold Coast.
The Seagulls maintained their place inside the Top 8 with a hard-fought 32-28 win over the Mackay Cutters last week. Despite their place on the ladder, Mackay produced exactly the performance Tweed coach Dave Penna predicted pregame as they pushed his side to the end.
“Like I said to you during the week, they’re a good footy side,” said Penna.
“They complete their sets, they do everything they need to do and they make it hard for you.”
Mackay did just that to keep Tweed to 48% possession, 68% completions and 1,491 running metres. However, with one of the most reliable and threatening attacks in the Hostplus Cup, the Seagulls are always a chance in a shootout and found enough points in the end.
Treymain Spry added three line break assists and two try assists to his season tally at fullback. Meanwhile, the rest of the back five all crossed the line with Jojo Fifita’s 165 running metres, two line breaks and six tackle breaks a particularly notable haul.
While Spry did a job at the back in Round 14, Lindon McGrady has been named to make his return this week moving Spry back to the centres with Fifita not named for this one. Despite not being able to finish the game last week, Brent Woolf and Lamar Manuel-Liolevave are both in the 17 for Saturday.
Far from their best but gutsy in the face of the travel and early injuries against the Cutters, Penna spoke about the side licking their wounds and getting back up for Round 15 against a Bears side currently 2nd on the Hostplus Cup ladder and coming in fresh off a bye.
Winners of seven of their eight games before the bye, the Bears are in impressive form. Their only defeat came against the table-topping Magpies sandwiched between a massive 52-0 win over the Jets and a 28-22 victory over the Devils. Notably, the Bears haven’t lost at home this season. Often playing in front of a big crowd that sits loud and close to the sideline, the Bears have used that support to win all six games at UAA Park in 2023.
The Seagulls will take confidence from the fact that the Bears needed a 79th-minute penalty goal to beat them in a tight contest back in Round 3. The two sides played out a grinding 14-12 battle with only one try and two penalty goals kicked after halftime.
Keano Kini is one to watch at the back for the Bears this week. Having spent time at NRL level with the Gold Coast Titans, the 19-year-old plays above his age and size at just 177cm and 83kg. He is good for almost 200 running metres per game and is particularly dangerous out the back of shape on the edges. Kini has picked up eight try assists along with scoring two himself throughout his eight appearances this season. Ken Maumalo is another name plenty will recognise. He made the move from Wests Tigers to the Titans earlier in the year but has spent all of his time with the Bears for eight tries and 164 running metres per game in ten matches.
The Seagulls picked up the two competition points in Round 14 but face a different beast on their own turf this week. Having played out a thriller earlier this year, expect more of the same when the two teams meet again on Saturday afternoon.
Player to watch
Reece Summer plays a key role in this Seagulls side. Coming off the bench and charged with adding a spark to the middle either side of halftime, his carries are often the trigger to some of Tweed’s most dangerous actions.
He crossed for the first try of his career in Round 13 and was particularly pleased about it based on his celebrations and comments from Coach Penna post-match. However, he’s more likely to have an impact to start a set with a hard and energetic carry, just as he did when beating the first defender to poke his head through the line and draw a penalty from the kickoff last week.
In a game that is likely to feature a feeling-out period to start, look for the impact Summer makes off the bench this week.
Coaches Comments
They were left battered and bruised but Dave Penna took plenty away from the Seagulls’ victory over the Cutters last week.
“For us, it was a gutsy win,” Penna said.
“At times we looked really, really good and then other times we needed to be better.
“Again, they’re little things we need to focus on as individuals and as a team.”
It will take a team effort to get past a strong Bears team playing at home for Old Boys Day on Saturday.
“There is plenty that they’re playing for and they obviously don’t need any encouragement for a local derby as well,” said Penna of the occasion at Burleigh.
On his own players, Penna is confident they’ll be able to match the home side’s motivation.
“At the end of the day, the boys know the importance of it.”
“It’s always a game that we really don’t need to get them up for. Both teams know the history of the two clubs. They’re a great club and a great footy team so for us, and myself, it’s a really good challenge to see where we’re at at this time of the year.”
Written by Rugby League Writers for Tweed Seagulls Media
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