The Seagulls have field two evenly balanced teams in the two senior trials against Burleigh Bears at Firth Park, Mudgeeraba, this Saturday – with the many new faces on show for the first time locally.
Brayden McGrady, who played for the Titans under-20s in 2016 and ’17, is the latest of a string of players with Holden Cup experience to join Aaron Zimmerle’s squad and will play in the first trial, against the Bears’ A grade, at 5.30pm.
Pictured: Sam Meskell looks for opportunity from dummy half against the Knights. Photo courtesy Daniel McKenzie, Tweed Daily News.
McGrady, an outside back, scored six tries in six games last season for the Titans before a serious ankle injury sidelined him.
He joins other young newcomers with National Youth Competition experience in the past two seasons who will push for Intrust Super Cup selection including Kurt Perry (Cowboys), Jack Cook and Talor Walters (Storm), Shane Gillham (Titans), Jordan Aiono-Fatu (Raiders) plus Kurt Bernard (Storm/Titans) and Ben Nakubuwai (Storm) who are contracted to the Titans but are allocated to the Seagulls as their feeder team.
Others on show in the revamped Seagulls side include Lindon McGrady (Bulldogs), Carne Doyla-Manga (Wyong/Roosters), Ezra Howe (Manly), Nick Harrold (Wynnum-Manly) combining with Seagulls regulars like Nathaneal Barnes, James Wood, Jack Durheim, Michael Burgess, Will Johnstone, Sam Meskell and Jackson and Dane Clarke.
Damian Sironen, Lamar Liolevave, Shaun Hinton and Walters are missing this weekend because of injury Ethan Price, David Sheridan, Kelly Benson and Mackenzie Reid are in camp with the Australian Universities team in Brisbane in preparation for the World Cup in June.
So it shows what depth is at Zimmerle’s disposal this season.
Teams for Saturday’s trial derby are below.
Kick-off times: 4pm: Seagulls v Bears under-20s; 5.30pm – Seagulls v Bears A grade; 7pm – Seagulls v Bears Queensland Cup.
Admission is $5 for adults, children free.
7pm match squad:
Lindon McGrady |
Nathaneal Barnes |
James Wood |
James Toole |
Regan Muir |
Jack Cook |
Michael Burgess |
Tikiko Noke |
Will Johnstone |
Carne Doyle-Manga |
Sam Carson |
Andrew Hart |
Jack Durheim |
Interchange
Rex Johnson |
Kevin Reed |
Kurt Perry |
Ezra Howe |
Joe Besgrove |
Jordan Aiono |
Jenan Parish
Brad Williams |
5.30pm match squad:
Jayden Baker |
Adam Barnes |
Tevita Folau |
Peter Lee |
Saverin Rapana |
Sione Alofi |
Kobi Annand |
Jarrod Morfett |
Sam Meskell |
Shane Gillham |
Jackson Clarke |
Nick Harrold |
Dane Clarke |
Interchange
David Green |
Kurtis McDonald |
Brayden McGrady |
Matt Mulcahey |
Ben Jackson |
Shem Vaoa |
Angus Dorante |
Jonty Van De Scheur |
Brayden Sunderland |
Kirk Murphy |
Brad Williams |