The Campbell Construction Co. Tweed Seagulls will hit the road for consecutive weekends this Saturday, 16th July when they travel to Sunshine Coast Stadium to take on the Falcons in Round 15 of the QRL Hostplus Cup.
Tweed’s premiership credentials this season are built around defence. A slip up last week against the Redcliffe Dolphins – where the Seagulls conceded an uncharacteristic 30 points – still leaves Tweed with the fifth best defensive record coming into Round 15 and we can expect a response from their middles in particular this week.
The Seagulls were navigating the absence of key players across the park last weekend and Redcliffe made them pay. Around the ruck in particular, the Dolphins’ hooking rotation of Sheldon Pitama and Liam Hampson threatened and schemed from dummy-half which allowed Redcliffe to play over the advantage line in attack. It’s an area of the game we’re used to seeing Tweed dominate this season and they get a chance to answer back on Saturday against the Falcons.
The importance of combinations and team cohesion is being stressed right now with the Seagulls’ navigating a host of injuries and absences to key players in key positions.
Following in the footsteps of Sam McIntyre, both Paul Turner and Sosefo Fifita have earned NRL call-ups to the Gold Coast Titans in recent weeks on the back of compelling performances in the Hostplus Cup. Ryland Jacobs impressed when filling in for Turner at fullback but succumbed to a leg injury prior to Round 14 which rules him out again this week, while first-choice hooker Brent Woolf remains on the sidelines as he manages a shoulder concern. Big minute prop Lamar Manuel-Liolevave has been out of action since copping a nasty head knock while playing for Fiji in the Pacific Test and experienced QRL campaigner Harrison Muller has been out since Round 10.
It’s a testament to both Tweed’s depth of roster and also their ‘next man up’ mentality that the Seagulls remain inside the top eight coming into Round 15.
Tweed’s big men JJ Collins and Sam Lisone start in the front row again this week with Braden Robson at lock and Joshua Patston returning to the side in the backrow. With Blake Scott and Craig Garvey again sharing hooking duties, the Seagulls have the nucleus of a forward pack who can compete with Sunshine Coast in yardage and open things up for Will Brimson, Tom Weaver and Lindon McGrady in attack.
Patston’s return is a timely one for the Seagulls, who are searching for a reliable constant amidst a raft of team changes in recent weeks.
Patston’s inclusion rounds out a familiar left edge for the Seagulls with Brimson, Patston and Lee Turner playing plenty of footy together at five-eighth, backrow and centre respectively this season. Brent Barnes is the fresh face on the wing but the combination of Brimson, Patston and Turner is one the Seagulls can turn to in the pressure moments on Saturday. If Brimson and his left edge can take control in good ball it will alleviate the pressure on young Weaver at halfback, playing just his second Cup game on Saturday.
The Sunshine Coast Falcons come into Round 15 following a narrow loss to the Central Queensland Capras. Sunshine Coast scored the first and last tries in that game but couldn’t seal the result, with the Capras defending their line bravely as the Falcons chased a late comeback.
Currently sitting second on the QRL ladder, the Falcons are a side Tweed can expect to meet again in the finals series and pose a welcome challenge as the Seagulls this week as they prepare for the back end of the season.
The last time these sides met was in Round 2 earlier this year, with Tweed Seagulls coming away comprehensive winners 28-6. The Seagulls’ left edge was on fire in that game with Brimson, Patston and Lee Turner all crossing the chalk in Round 2 and that trio shape as key players for the Seagulls again on Saturday.
Player to Watch
Tweed have embraced the next man up mentality as well as anyone in 2022 as injuries and NRL opportunities continue to disrupt head coach Ben Woolf’s first-choice 17 from week-to-week.
Earlier in the season it was Blake Scott and Craig Garvey stepping up with Brent Woolf on the sidelines and more recently we’ve marvelled at the efforts of Ryland Jacobs at fullback with Paul Turner playing for the Gold Coast Titans. But with Jacobs going down with a leg injury last week, Seagulls’ winger Scott Galeano identified an opportunity – and a need – to step up and he took it with both hands.
Capable of playing centre or wing, Galeano has good ball skills but is at his best when running the ball. Strong through contact and with nice footwork, Galeano took 16 energetic carries in a losing side last week to clock up 160 running metres (the most of any Tweed player and Galeano’s second highest tally this season) against Redcliffe and make 10 tackles with no misses.
In Galeano and three-Cup-game rookie Brent Barnes, the Seagulls have two reliable ball carriers out of yardage who can start their sets well in Round 15. This is made even more important with Lindon McGrady – primarily a ballplayer – filling in at fullback at the moment. Backrower-turned-centre Ioane Seiuli is also a strong runner of the ball and Lee Turner is still Tweed’s strike weapon in the outside backs, but at 24 years old Galeano has quickly become the familiar face in the Seagulls’ backline this season and his ability to step up when needed is promising signs, moving forward.
Coach’s Comments
Head Coach Ben Woolf conceded his side were beaten through the middle last week and is looking for a response on Saturday.
“Redcliffe were better than us around the ruck last week,” said Woolf.
“They had better line speed and their effort in the ruck was better than ours on both sides of the ball. Our effort in those areas needs to improve to match the top teams.”
Woolf said the next man up mentality his squad has embraced this season is not something they have spoken about as a group.
“There’s no fuss made when we get injuries and the expectation is that all players in the squad are ready to go,” said Woolf.
Scott Galeano was a standout performer from the wing last week and Woolf paid special mention to his efforts on the ball.
“With Lindon being a ballplaying fullback Scotty had to carry more and he did a good job there last week.”
Team List
- Lindon McGrady
- Brent Barnes
- Lee Turner
- Ioane Șeiuli
- Scott Galeano
- Will Brimson
- Thomas Weaver
- JJ Collins
- Blake Scott
- Sam Lisone
- Joshua Patson
- Klese Haas
- Braden Robson
- Craig Garvey
- Reece Summer
- Charlie Murray
- Reuben Porter
- Daniel Ross
Match Details
Round 15 v Sunshine Coast Falcons
Saturday 16th July @ Sunshine Coast Stadium
Kick-off: 4pm
Streaming via QPlus.tv (subscription required)
Written by Rugby League Writers for Tweed Seagulls Media
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