The Campbell Construction Co. Tweed Seagulls will field a team strengthened by the return of key attacking players Toby Sexton and Lindon McGrady when they take on minor premiers Norths Devils at Bishop Park on Sunday in the first week of the Intrust Super Cup finals.
Despite being without all Gold Coast Titans’ contracted players except for Darius Farmer since round 11 on June 20, and several NSW-based players since round 12, Tweed have shown great resilience in being able to retain a position in the top four with a crucial draw with fellow finalists Townsville Blackhawks a fortnight ago.
They were down to their last 17 for players, plus Hastings Deering Colts second-rower Juwan Compain who had been elevated, when they finished the competition rounds with a disappointing loss to PNG Hunters.
Sexton returns with the benefit of four NRL appearances for the Titans in which he was a strong performer and took on the goalkicking duties, landing 16 goals at an 80 percent success rate.
He last wore the black and white butchers stripes in the round 11 victory over Redcliffe with the experienced Luke Jurd filling in well since. However, Jurd tore a hip flexor muscle in the Blackhawks clash and is unlikely to return, so Sexton’s return is critical to Ben Woolf’s side.
Back-rower Joe Vuna, who last played for Tweed in round nine when they took on the Devils, has also been made available by the Titans.
McGrady also returns after missing three matches and will slot in at fullback, renewing the ‘spine’ of McGrady, Will Brimson, Sexton and hookers Brent Woolf and Liam Hampson.
Winger Talor Walters is still missing with a back injury but the Seagulls are well catered for there with Brayden McGrady and Ryland Jacobs.
Coach Woolf says the return of the trio of Sexton, McGrady and Vuna gives the Gulls their strongest side since the 14-12 win against Redcliffe Dolphins (who finished fifth) in round 11 and then had a record of eight wins, two losses and a draw.
“Toby was our dominant attacking player for the first half of the season and gives us the direction we have lacked, so it’s a big plus to have him back – and with the benefit ,of his experience in the NRL,” said Woolf.
“It gives us more balance again with Lindon also a key player when we’ve got the ball.
“And Joe Vuna gives us a lot of energy mand aggression on the edge.
“We’ve done well to stay in the top four, thanks to results that went our way in the last two rounds, but we have to start again now.
“It’s obviously a big challenge against Norths who have undoubtedly been the best team in the competition. They beat us 40-12 in round nine and it wasn’t one of our best performances.
“They control possession really well and like to use the footy like we do. And they’ve got some ‘trick shots’ too like short kick-offs and line drop-outs so we have to minimise their opportunities and control our possession well, kick and chase well and try to play in their half as much as we can.
“We have a few players who have debuted or had a lot of playing time since we’ve been without the Titans boys and they’ll benefit from that experience too going into the finals.
“We achieved our goal of making the top four and getting a second chance and now we have to regroup after getting through a tough couple of months and, if we play to our capabilities, go deep into the finals.”
The Devils, coached by former Titans assistant Rohan Smith, have dangermen across the park including NRL experienced Danny Levi, Nene Macdonald, Leivaha Pulu, Ben Nakabuwai and Broncos’ young gun Brendan Piakura.
Tweed’s under-21s Colts side have finished in sixth place and also play at Bishop Park on Sunday, against Souths Logan Magpies (who finished seventh), at 12.45pm. They went into the finals in convincing form after winning four of their past five games, scoring 38 points or more in all those victories.
All three Tweed senior teams, including the under-18s Mal Meninga Cup team (who won back-to-back titles), have made the finals for a second successive season (2019-2021 with 2020 abandoned). Wynnum Manly is the only other QRL club to achieve that.
The teams for Sunday’s clash at Bishop Park at 3.05pm are:
TWEED SEAGULLS: Lindon McGrady, Brayden McGrady, Treymain Spry, Lee Turner, Ryland Jacobs, Will Brimson, Toby Sexton, JJ Collins, Brent Woolf, Harrison Muller, Lamar Liolevave (capt), Joe Vuna, Braden Robson. Interchange: Liam Hampson, Darius Farmer, Stuart Mason, Jack Glossop.
NORTHS DEVILS: Jack Ahearn (capt), Rachaun Denny, Jacob Gagan, Bernard Gregorius, Nene Macdonald, Connor Broadhurst, Bryce Donovan, Michael Molo, Danny Levi, Piki Rogers, Moses Noovao-McGreal, Leivaha Pulu, Michael Sio. Interchange: Matthew Milson, Jerome Veve, Ben Nakubuwai, Brendan Piakura, Liam Horne.
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