Published On: 27 August, 2018Categories: General

Neil Cadigan

The Ben Campbell Building Group Tweed Heads Seagulls have signed off on their Intrust Super Cup season with one of their best performances of the season to earn a 10-all draw against finals-bound Northern Pride in Cairns.

Ben Woolf’s men scored two tries to one and were unlucky not to have won the match.

The Pride scored two second half penalties goals, one a 50-50 call at best, and had an enormous amount of luck in scoring their only try, with a second kick in the play hitting the base of the upright and bouncing straight to a Pride kick-chaser.

“That’s the only time they broke us down all day, so it was a very good defensive effort,” said Woolf.

Woolf experimented by playing regular left-edge second-rower Lamar Liolevave at left centre and he scored the try with 60 seconds remaining that gave halfback Rex Johnson the chance to level the scores with a conversion attempt from 10 metres in from the touchline after the hooter.

He landed it coolly to give the Seagulls a fitting end to the year which saw them finish 11th, seven points out of the finals, with nine wins and a draw after being genuine semi-final contenders until season-ending injuries to key players mid-year contributed to the end of the momentum.

Five-eighth Eli Levido, who has had a fine first season with the Gulls, was instrumental in both tries against the Pride. The first came with a good long pass to winger Kai Cooper after a shift to the left near the Pride line. Johnson missed the conversion.

Earlier the Pride’s only try was a result of good fortune. Halfback Jack Campagnolo kicked high to the left and the ball landed between Ryland Jacobs and Leilani Latu. The Pride gained possession back and two passes infield saw Pride hooker Ryan Ghietti with the ball and he kicked high again. The ball bounced on the full off the left goalpost pad and rolled into the hands of Enari Tuala.

Behind 6-4 at the break, the Seagulls have the Pride little when they had the ball – even with Kai Cooper in the sin-bin for 10 minutes for a professional foul.

Bryce Cartwright was switched to the halves with 12 minutes remaining and it almost paid dividends when centre Brendan Elliott made a half bust and tipped onto  Cartwright who just overran the ball and put it went down.

However, the Gulls refused to concede and they were rewarded in the final minute. Levido grubbered through brilliantly on the left from 10 metres and Levido cruised through the force the ball, leaving Johnson with the pressure kick to take a point away from Barlow Park.

“Like they have all season the team really had a dig and they deserved to win but it was still a good way to finish the season,” said Woolf.

“We went close a few times but just couldn’t get the winning try. Both teams made over 300 tackles which shows the ball was in play a lot with good completions.

“I thought I’d see how Lamar went in the centres because I thought he could be a real threat there and he played really well.

“Without as much defence to do he had more energy in carrying the ball and handled the defensive change well too.

“We had a lot of good performers. Eli was really good, he’s been a great signing this year, and Kalani Going won the players’ player award, while ‘Carty’ was terrific too, a real threat all game and he worked hard defensively.”

Meanwhile, the Seagulls’ A-grade side went down in the preliminary semi-final 37-16 against Runaway Bay but will have several ISC players back in Kevin Campion’s side for the elimination semi-final against Tugun Seahawks this Sunday.