Round 13 of the Gold Coast - Tweed Gen Z Employment Cup kicks off this weekend. Below is a game-by-game preview of the A Grade competition.
Tugun Seahawks v Tweed Heads Seagulls
The match of the round will see the Tugun Seahawks play the Tweed Heads Seagulls in a local derby at Boyd Street. Still not in full strength, the Seahawks will see the return of some players after their close match against Burleigh Bears. Coach Martin Griese said his side’s completion rates were up and the team did exactly what they set out to do. He was pleased with the whole team’s performance, highlighting some stand out players like Tu Whatahiti, Ayden Lee and Shane Gray. The Seahawks are working towards playing hard for the full 80 minutes as fatigue let them down last weekend. Falling short of the Seagulls 34-0 during their last encounter, the Seahawks have had a good preparation for this game and know the match will be tough. The Seagulls are also in good form as they convincingly defeated the Runaway Bay Seagulls 50-6 last weekend. Coach Clint Barends said his side played well, despite taking their foot off in the second half. Barends said he was excited about the top of the table clash. Kelly Benson and Sione Alofi will be players for Tugun to watch.
Ormeau Shearers v Currumbin Eagles
The Eagles just fall short on the weekend against the Bilambil Jets 36-28, a result that moved them to the bottom of the ladder. Experiencing a heavy injury toll with the likes of Brayden Evans, Ken Allison, Scott Tuafa and Matt Geyer out of action, the Eagles will be relying on young guns filling in. Coach James Griffiths was pleased with the team’s efforts last weekend coming back from 18-0 at halftime and despite not winning the match, they had the better of the second half. Stand out players Brayden Evans, Savern Rapana, Michael McKinnon and Jake Harlen will be players for Ormeau to watch. The Ormeau Shearers will also motivated for a win as they linger in the bottom three and battle to stay out of the last position. The Shearers experienced a 54-18 defeat against the Southport Tigers over the weekend and are gearing up for yet another tough match this weekend against the Eagles.
Bilambil Jets v Southport Tigers
The Bilambil Jets are in high spirits after securing their second win of the season 36-28 against the Currumbin Eagles. Gaining confidence in every win, the Jets are playing some of their best football this season. Not only are they playing well, completing sets and scoring points; the Jets are converting tries through goal kicker Louis Earl which is equally important. The Jets know what they are in for this week and are gearing up for a physical match against the strong and third on the ladder the Southport Tigers. The Tigers convincingly secured a win last weekend after posting two consecutive losses. Tries were spread across the board in last weekend’s match, with an honourable mention going out to Troy Leo who scored a hat-trick.
Runaway Bay Seagulls v Burleigh Bears
It was a tough loss for the Runaway Bay Seagulls as they were defeated 50-6 last weekend against the Tweed Heads Seagulls. As the finals series approach, Runaway Bay will want to ensure the team is fully fit and equipped to take on the top teams of the competition. The Burleigh Bears are only in front of the Seagulls by two points on the ladder; and after falling short 20-18 against the Tugun Seahawks last weekend, the Bears will be even more determined to defeat the Seagulls. Coach Stuart Wilkins wants his side to show leadership and work on their individual performance on the field. Filling in for regular season coach Matt Foster, Wilkins hopes the boys can work on the little aspects discussed at training and play well for the full 80 minutes of the game. Training with the Intrust Super Cup side, the team should gain more confidence in getting behind the ball and completing sets especially in the first half.
Good luck to all teams this weekend!
Round 13 Games
Saturday, July 16
Ormeau v Currumbin at Brien Harris Oval, 3.30pm
Sunday, July 17
Bilambil v Southport at Bilambil Sports, 2pm
Tugun v Tweed Heads at Boyd Street, 2pm
Runaway Bay v Burleigh at Bycroft Oval, 2pm
