Round 21 Match Preview – QRL Hostplus Cup vs Ipswich Jets

 

Tweed Seagulls RLFC, proudly backed this weekend by Eximm, in our inaugural Indigenous Recognition Round, host the Ipswich Jets at Piggabeen Sports Complex in Round 21 as they look to cement their place in the Top 8.

The fight for finals took a hit last week as the Seagulls fell to the Northern Pride 34-24 at home. Still, they remain firmly in the frame at 7th on the ladder with two rounds to play. It’s a defeat that mirrors many of the others this season as Tweed looked dangerous at times, played with a lead for periods, but ultimately paid the price for turning the ball over too often.

“When we want to play footy we look good. We got in front a couple of times but couldn’t go on with it,” Coach Dave Penna said after the match.

The Seagulls broke more tackles (27 v 23), made more line breaks (6 v 3) and averaged more metres per set (47.8m v 43.4m) but their seven errors, seven penalties and four infringements proved too much in the end. The 46% possession and 75% completion rate will no doubt be something that is mentioned throughout the week.

Lindon McGrady offered some bright sparks throughout the match from fullback, the outside backs piled up points and Kaleb Ngamanu cracked 200 running metres for the second time this season. Tweed weren’t short of positives in the 80 minutes and much of the same squad will have an opportunity to right the wrongs against the Jets this week.

Kruise Leeming has improved with every match he has played for the Seagulls but an injury to Titans hooker, Sam Verrills, sees Leeming return to the NRL with Brent Woolf named to slot in at hooker. Woolf’s move returns Jaron Purcell to lock where he has started nine times this season with Joe Vuna elevated from the bench to the back row. Ryland Jacobs is a big in for Tweed. He missed the last match but has been named to start on the wing with the versatile Ioane Seiuli to come off the bench on Sunday.

The Jets held the somewhat unlucky honour of playing the Sunshine Coast Falcons in Ryan Papenhuyzen’s return to footy and with Justin Olam fired up in the centres last week. While the Jets started slowly to fall 24-0 behind in the 43rd minute, they held the Falcons scoreless for the remainder of the match and finished strong themselves in going down 24-10. From a numbers perspective, Dominic Macumboy’s six tackle breaks in limited opportunities with the ball make him one to watch this week.

While the Seagulls handled them convincingly to the tune of 54-14 back in Round 10, the Jets are an improved side. Their attack is on the up to have scored 20+ points in five of their last eight games.

The return of Manaia Cherrington has helped with the Kiwi hooker a dangerous prospect out of dummy half. Jayden Corrigan needs no introduction at Piggabeen. The 27-year-old Jets fullback is lining up for his third game against his former club this season having started the year with the Western Clydesdales before making the switch in Round 7. He’s a tackle-breaker and try-scorer and one the Seagulls will need to contain.

While the Jets are without a win this season, the Seagulls won’t be taking them lightly. They’re a high-offload team that despite the results throughout the year, is still improving each week. With this their last game of the 2023 Hostplus Cup season, expect the Jets to make things difficult for the Seagulls on Sunday afternoon.

Players To Watch

Ryland Jacobs is back on the wing this week to give the Seagulls what appears to be their first-choice backline at the pointy end of the season. With 11 tries in 17 games to go along with four try assists, 60 tackle breaks and ten line breaks, the 27-year-old is a key contributor to the Seagulls’ edge and one of the best-attacking players in the competition.

Tweed took a different approach to getting Treymain Spry more involved in the game by sending him back to field yardage kicks last week. The Hostplus Cup leader in linebreaks added one more to his tally from the back and it will be interesting to see if that approach continues upon Jacobs’ return and how else they can find ways to involve the roaming centre.

Ryan Walker made his Seagulls debut in the last 12 minutes of the game against the Pride. Harkening back to his 2009 Queensland Cup Premiership with the Sunshine Coast team, formerly dubbed the “Sea Eagles,” Walker’s return to action stirred memories of his championship days.

Opposing teams may not know what to expect from Walker, named as 18th man, with two games remaining in the regular season, he is working hard to prove himself again a premiership-winning player, hopeful to give the Seagulls an advantage in the upcoming finals.

 

Coaches Comments

The Seagulls were left disappointed with the performance last week but are eager to correct their mistakes this time around.

“It was a disappointing result; the boys are feeling it, Penna said.

“More in our own efforts and how we played but we’ve got to move on.

“Our focus has been on us this week, making sure that we put a performance on the field that we know we can put together. That’s our main thing. We just need to play well and if we play well, the rest will take care of itself.

“If we walk off the field to know that we played well and played how we’ve trained, do the simple things that we’ve worked really hard to do, then I can’t ask any more than that.”

While the Jets are without a win this year, Penna knows no side in the Hostplus Cup can be taken lightly.

“They’ve got plenty of talent and skill in the halves and their spine,” said Penna.

“Like I said, we just have to be really good defensively. We have to stick to our process and work for each other, and when we get the football, don’t give them too much ball.

“That’s the key to Tweed playing really well.”