Neil Cadigan
The Seagulls’ A-grade side will welcome back several key players from the Intrust Super Cup side to strengthen them as they head into Sunday’s elimination semi-final against Tugun Seahawks at Piggabeen Sports Complex (3pm) with the confidence they can still win the competition.
Kevin Campion’s side hit a lull in form in the two losses against Runaway Bay, the first in the last round clash and a week later in the first week of the finals, outscored by the Bay to the tune of 69 to 32.
Terrible ball control led to their downfall on both occasions but the return of goalkicking halfback Rex Johnson will be the key in arresting that aspect, while lock Kirk Murphy and experienced ISC centre Shaun Carney head back to the A-grade outfit, joining centre Kody Parsons who was in Ben Woolf’s side for a month before last week.
Back-rower Reece Summer also returns to the team.
“I’m excited to have those boys back from Intrust Super Cup,” said coach Campion.
“They’ll be better, and more confident, players from the experience and Kirk Murphy especially thrived at that level and it’s going to be good to see how he converts that progression in his game back to the A-grade environment.
“They’d all been a big part of our season until they got called up and Rex’s control at halfback will be a big plus for us.
“If we play smarter and improve our completion rates we can beat any side and still win the competition.
“It’s all about completions for us because we have proved to be a very good defensive side.
“If we complete at 60-70 per cent we will be in the game. If we’re anywhere near the 32 per cent of last weekend, we’re going to struggle.”
It is the strongest side the A-grade has been able to put out for over a month. Talor Walters may also return if he gets the all-clear on a calf injury suffered while playing ISC.
Tweed and Tugun have met three times this season. The first clash was a 26-18 win to Tweed, the second saw Tugun win 17-16 on the back of a field goal and the third clash produced a 32-18 Tugun victory when the Seagulls had only one man on the bench for most of the game and finished with 12 players.
The Gulls started to gain some momentum with a 26-16 win against minor premiers Currumbin, a 26-22 victory over Southport then a 58-6 thrashing of Runaway Bay before – with several players prompted to ISC because of injuries in Ben Woolf’s side – their form faltered with the loss to Tugun, and the two Runaway Bay defeats either side of a big victory over last placed Ormeau.
Last Sunday Tweed completed just 10 of 28 sets, gave Runaway Bay six seven-tackle sets by kicking dead and were penalised 12-4. No team can win with that little possession and respect for the ball.
The Seahawks will field two players who are in Tweed’s ISC squad in prop Shane Gilham and winger Kainoa Gudgeon, Gulls’ try-scoring legend Nathaneal Barnes is on the wing, while former Titans and Queensland Origin back-rower Ash Harrison is on the bench of the team coached by Clint Barends, who was assistant to Seagulls ISC coach Aaron Zimmerle last season.
The winner will go into the preliminary final against the loser of Currumbin v Runaway Bay in the major semi-final.
It will be a great game at Piggabeen preceded by the under-19s Bilambil v Mudgeeraba clash at noon, and the Beaudesert v Runaway Bay reserve grade game at 1.30pm.
The teams:
Tweed Heads Seagulls
- Jayden Baker 2. Curtis Dansey-Smaller 3. Kody Parsons 4. Harrison Hughes 5. MacAuley Dawson 6. Tre Williams 7. Rex Johnson 8. Mitch Sharp 9. Shaun Carney 10. Joshua Harvey 11. Kirk Murphy 12. Reece Summer 13. Samuel Saville 14. Talor Walters 15. Michael Gray 16 Jordan Aiono-Fatu 17. Ethan Price
Coach: Kevin Campion
Tugun Seahawks
- Corey Morris 2. Nathaneal Barnes 3. Savern Rapana 4. Kainoa Gudgeon 5. Jai Veli 6. Keanu Te Kiri 7. Zachary Walsh 8. Bryce Thomas 9. Paul Sheedy 10. Shane Gillham 11. Robert Apanui 12. Anthony Gray 13. Ayden Lee 14. Ashley Harrison 15. Trenton Smith 16. William Takave 17. Mitch Willmot
Coach: Clint Barends
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