Seagulls coach Aaron Zimmerle knows we are just in the trial-game phase of 2017 and it will be performance in the ‘real’ games that will count.
However, he can’t be anything but encouraged by not just the results of the three trial matches his side will arm themselves with for the Intrust Super Cup opener against Ipswich on Sunday week, but the new steel in the way his team has approached their pre-season assignment.
‘Zimmo’ has wanted to develop an aggressiveness that borders on intimidation with the Seagulls’ defence after too many lame efforts in 2016.
That desire was certainly on show at Piggabeen Sports Complex on Saturday night in the 26-14 win against Souths Logan. The Gulls muscled up in defence and, outside of a few one-one one misses on the edges that led to Magpies tries, and maintained the grunt for the full 80 minutes.
“Probably our most pleasing aspect is we have a real intensity with our defence this year,” the coach said.
“We led 14-10 at half-time but they just scored off two individual misses when they had back-to-back sets. Other than that, I would say the entire half we dominated with our defence. We had great contact.
“Our middle in particular were putting shots on and then our edge sort of fired up off the back of that and you had blokes like Tevita Folau who were coming in and shutting down plays.
“We forced something like eight turnovers from contact and that was really exciting.”
Watch some highlights which feature two tries and typical tough defence.
The match was played in two halves after the four-quarter format of the games against Burleigh Bears and Newcastle Knights and several players played 40 minutes straight in an effort to match-harden them for the season’s start.
“We just wanted to approach the game as if it was for competition points,” Zimmerle said.
“When people are playing for positions and that sometimes they get too into their own head about what they have to do and how they have to play.
“We just tried to approach it as if it was round one so we were doing our best to win the game regardless and that tends to keep everyone focused on the team aspect of it.”
The Seagulls led 10-0 in the first 10 minutes with tries to Tevita Folau and Carne Doyle-Manga before the Broncos’ feeder team brought it back to 10-6.
It was 14-10 at half-time after the Magpies scored their second try 90 seconds before the break.
Titans utility Karl Lawton came on at half-time at five-eighth and scored two minutes into the second session from close range for 20-10 before a great 40-metre raid down the right edge saw Lindon McGrady score and make it 26-10 with 24 minutes to go.
While the Magpies picked up another try the aggressiveness of the Seagulls defence did not wane and Gulls fans were left with no doubt there will be size, attitude and physical purpose in the team’s defence this season if they can maintain that effort.
And a draw that sees the Gulls playing at home four times in the first five rounds sets the stage for Piggabeen to become an uncomfortable place for opposing teams to come and a chance for the Seagulls to make a statement early in the season.
Seagulls tries: Folau, Barnes, Carson, Lawton, McGrady.
Tweed’s under-20s showed their new quality and depth this season too with a 52-10 victory over Souths Logan in an earlier match.
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