Grand final spotlight: Tweed lock Isaac Harrison
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It only took one game of Mal Meninga Cup footy for Isaac Harrison to know Tweed Seagulls were going to do something special this year.
In their Round 1 clash with the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Tweed claimed the 'flockbuster' in style, sailing through to a 32-6 victory to kick off their season.
Fast forward three months and they are minor premiers, heading into this Saturday’s grand final showdown with local rivals, the Burleigh Bears.
They haven’t registered a single loss in 2024, with only one draw in Round 4 against the Redcliffe Dolphins, so their presence in the premiership decider at Kayo Stadium comes as little surprise.
But for Harrison, he’s known all along this is where he and his team would be.
Match: Seagulls v Bears
Grand Final -
home Team
Seagulls
away Team
Bears
Venue: Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
“It’s been a long season so it’s a special moment,” Harrison said of qualifying for this year’s grand final.
“Our side had a great pre-season, worked really hard, and after Round 1, I knew straight away we had something special going. It was just a matter of getting it done.
“It’s a great club, a good team with heaps of new mates.
“It would mean everything to win the grand final at Tweed. There’s a lot of legacy at Tweed. It would be one of my greatest achievements.”
Harrison is a lifelong Tweed player, starting with the club at the ripe age of four and working his way through the junior age groups.
He also plays through Palm Beach Currumbin, where he goes to school, and has played representative football in New South Wales’ Andrew Johns Cup.
The 18-year-old has rugby league in his blood, with his dad – James Harrison - and uncle both playing as they grew up, while his twin brother Zane is the Tweed Seagulls’ Mal Meninga Cup captain and five-eighth.
He said that influence around him has helped shape him into who he is today.
“My dad and uncle were both footy players so I grew up into it and my mates all played it too,” he said.
“My dad is my biggest influence. He’s instilled values in me, he’s always supportive and just been my biggest coach, on and off the field.
“He coached me for a lot of my juniors and coming into my senior footy at club level. As we’ve gone further, he’s stepped back a bit on the field but kept giving that advice away from the field.
“I’d say I’m hard-working and I get that from my upbringing. I was always taught to work hard in anything I do.
“My twin and I started playing at the same time too, so it definitely makes it a little bit more special to share a moment this weekend with a family member. We’re close and we talk footy heaps at home.”
The last time Tweed Seagulls made the Mal Meninga Cup grand final was 2021 when they defeated Townsville Blackhawks 30-24.
Harrison and his teammates are keen to add to the club’s history books.
And, on a personal level, the young forward hopes he can continue to build upon his own form once the Mal Meninga Cup season is done.
“My first goal of the year was definitely to start strong in Mal and to carry that form through to school footy,” Harrison said.
“I’m just chipping away at it still, trying to do the best for the team that I can do each week.
“I want to be like everyone else and play at the top level one day. I want to have a good career in whatever I do - Cup, A grade, wherever I play. I want to play quality footy and do the best I can.”
Catch all the Mal Meninga Cup grand final action live and free on Qplus.tv and Kayo Freebies.
