Local rivals Currumbin and Tugun will go head-to-head in Round 18 of the Rugby League Gold Coast QTOP A Grade competition with third place on the line.
Tugun will host the fixture at Boyd Street at 2.15pm on Sunday afternoon where the winner will take a giant leap towards a top-three finish.
This will be crucial as it provides a potential second chance in the finals, a massive advantage over the sides who finish fourth and fifth who will be playing elimination football from the start.
“It will be a big game on the weekend - an important one for us - whoever wins should wrap third spot up,” Seahawks coach Clint Barends said.
“Currumbin will come well prepared. Even playing at home it is a difficult contest as the clubs are so close together the supporters will travel to support.
“There is a real rivalry between the clubs which has been going on a long time. Currumbin have been a real force in the last few years and that has added interest. The game will have aggression and competitiveness.”
With the top five teams now decided, all that is left is to jostle for positions with four games remaining.
Burleigh and Southport are likely to remain in first and second respectively, meaning the race for that crucial third place finish is down to Tugun, Currumbin and Runaway Bay.
For Currumbin, who finished on top of the ladder last season as minor premiers, getting a consistent roster has been a struggle recently, but coach Ryan Gundry was confident the tide has turned in his favour.
“This will be the first time in six weeks I have been able to pick the same 17, which is a real positive,” Gundry said.
“It’s about building consistency in performance and we started doing that last week. If we come with enthusiasm and a desire to compete in every facet of the game, we will get the result.”
The Tugun Seahawks against the Currumbin Eagles is the match of the round and will be live-streamed on Rugby League Gold Coast Facebook.
Other Round 18 fixtures include Ormeau taking on Southport and Burleigh hosting Bilambil Jets. Defending champs Runaway Bay have the bye.
* Main image courtesy of the Gold Coast Bulletin
Rugby League Gold Coast QTOP A Grade competition Round 18 team lists
Ormeau Shearers v Southport Tigers – Saturday, August 3 at Brien Harris Oval - 6pm
Ormeau Shearers
1. Liam Hori-Clark 2. Jamian Iroa 3. Brogan Melrose 4. Shay Stevens 5. Lance Belford-Laulu 6. Grayson Te Kiri 7. Leighmon Hohaia Katene 8. Timothy Wolens 9. Caleb Pirini 10. Jesse Malcolm 11. Hirini Robin 12. Anthony Gray 13. Parahi Wilson 15. Dion Belford-Laulu 16. Regan Ropati 17. Lazeryth Sua 20. Te Rupe Douglas-Webb
Coach: Julius Kuresa
Southport Tigers
1. Barry Rutley 2. Dexter Moroney 3. Tevita Folau 4. Lee Turner 5. Jack Conlan 6. Campbell Pirihi 7. Drumayne Dayberg-Muir 8. Simione Ata 9. Liam Hampson 10. Denzal Ngati 11. Tu Whakathi-Paikea 12. Jaleel Seve-Derbas 13. Jacob Pottinger 14. Zoram Watene 16. Lachlan Douglas 17. Carlo Alimboyong 18. Corey Walker
Coach: Steve Dowd
Tugun Seahawks v Currumbin Eagles – Sunday, August 4 at Boyd Street - 2.15pm
Tugun Seahawks
1. Corey Morris 2. Macauley Dawson 3. Kurtis Macdonald 4. Tim Cassidy 5. Sami Latu 6. Paul Sheedy 7. Sam Meskell 8. Josh Harvey 9. Will Johnson 10. Nick Harrold 11. Jordan Aiono 12. Levi Norton 13. Ethan Roberts 14. Issac Worboys 15. Rob Apanui 16. TBA 17. TBA
Coach: Clint Barends
Currumbin Eagles
1. Josh Walker 2. Bayley Desmond 3. Jake Gleeson 4. Blake Morrison 5. Kurt Perry 6. Daniel Mortimer 7. Phil Ramage 8. Stuart Mason 9. Brent Woolf 10. Jarrod Gill 11. Mike Grey 12. Dan Webb 13. Harry Wecker 14. Bayley Gill 15. Liam Donnelly 16. Pele Peletelese 17. Cooper Hennessey
Coach: Ryan Gundry
Burleigh Bears v Bilambil Jets – Sunday, August 4 at Pizzey Park - 4.30pm
Burleigh Bears
1. Tyronne Roberts Davis 2. Te Mcdonald 3. Regan Muir Ogle 4. Caleb Anderson 5. Will Evans 6. George House 7. Connor Toia 8. Josh Ailoamai 9. Jordan Scott 10. Tyler Szepanowski 11. Matt Robinson 12. Api Noema 13. Dylan Kelly 14. Ben Valeni 15. Brett Stratton 16. Luke Maiden 17. Matt Egan
Coach: Matt Forster
Bilambil Jets
1. Carne Rhodes 2. Sam Plater 3. Hayden Tolland 4. Jamie Wulff 5. Luke Jaeger 6. Thomas Rowles 7. Tom Plater 8. Will McCullough 9. PJ Tevaga 10. Mitch Spackman 11. Tyson Donnelly 12. Drew McCullough 13. Tom Raftery 14. Brendan Welsh 15. Ryan Taylor 16. Chad Mortimer 17. Jai Hosking
Coach: Kevin Campion
Runaway Bay Seagulls – bye
Ladder
| Pos | Team | +/- | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burleigh Bears | 222 | 48 |
| 2 | Southport Tigers | 155 | 43 |
| 3 | Currumbin Eagles | 82 | 37 |
| 4 | Tugun Seahawks | -8 | 37 |
| 5 | Runaway Bay Seagulls | 11 | 34 |
| 6 | Bilambil Jets | -179 | 31 |
| 7 | Ormeau Shearers | -283 | 25 |
