It will be a weekend of celebration for the Tugun Seahawks as they host the reunion of their 1985 grand final winning team.
The Seahawks have been a force in the local competition since their inception in 1978, but 85 was the first time they finished the season as premiers, beating defending champs Beaudesert 31-10 in the decider.
Since then, they have won titles in 2004, 2007 and 2013, but it all started in 1985 and the side will gather on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the milestone.
The vast majority of that side is also expected to be in attendance on Sunday when the Seahawks take on the Tigers in their 17th round Coast-2-Coast Earthmoving Cup clash at Boyd Street.
Peter Thornton, who was halfback and skipper for the maiden title win, is the man behind the reunion and said it was a special day for the club.
“It went like clockwork on the day, which rarely happens with grand finals,” he said.
“We went out there and everything that we had planned for just fell into place,” he said.
“Basically everyone played to their maximum potential on the day, which we had put together in patches throughout the year, but we pretty much saved our best performance for the grand final and to be a part of the club’s first one was pretty special.
“There were some pretty big celebrations for about a week after.”
The 1985 team helped build the culture of the Seahawks 30 years ago and today that culture is being cultivated by a Seahawks team that is on the hunt for their fifth straight grand final appearance.
Thornton said the Seahawks culture is special and that is evident in how many old boys are expected to be in attendance at Saturday's reunion.
“The bond was so strong from that year; we might be missing only one or two guys from that team. That’s amazing after 30 years,” he said.
“The culture is strong at Tugun. I’ve been involved with other clubs around the region after Tugun and I can’t quite put my finger on it but there is nothing like the camaraderie at Tugun.
“Once you get your foot in there for a few years it’s difficult to imagine life at any of the other club. Once you’re a Tugun boy, you’re always a Tugun boy.”
Tomorrow’s reunion will be a special occasion that will spill over into Sunday's fixture.
The game has added significance as the Pat Shepherdson Memorial Shield will be on the line for the fifth time.
Shepherdson, who passed away in 2011, was a beloved local league figure who played at both clubs and the Tigers and Seahawks have competed for the Shield in his honour ever since.
“Sheppo was a Tugun boy at heart, he did a lot of years there early before finishing up at Southport,” Thornton said.
“I never got to play with Sheppo, but I had the pleasure to know him very well and he was a great bloke. No matter whether you played with him or against him, with Sheppo, there is a lot of respect.
“Everybody had respect for Sheppo and that particular Shield is held pretty dear to the guys to this day.”
The Tugun Seahawks host the Southport Tigers this Sunday afternoon at 2pm.
Elsewhere in the Coast-2-Coast Earthmoving Cup’s 17th and final round the Currumbin Eagles host Tweed Heads and Burleigh travels to Bilambil to take on the Jets.
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