Fogarty is right at home for Burleigh
JAMAL Fogarty is back – and he wasted no time in making his presence felt.
The classy halfback steered Burleigh to a Queensland Cup premiership last season and was rewarded for his exceptional form by landing a twoyear NRL deal with Parramatta.
But with his path to first grade becoming blocked by Mitchell Moses’ mid-season arrival at the Eels, Fogarty was last week released from his contract to rejoin the Bears until the end of 2018 effective immediately.
His first game back in maroon was celebrated with a comfortable 28-18 win over Central Queensland at Pizzey Park on Saturday.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT TEAM STRAIGHTAWAY ... HE TOOK OFF FROM WHERE HE LEFT LAST YEAR. DAMIAN DRISCOLL
Fogarty only arrived back on the Gold Coast on Friday but trained that same night and was rushed into the side to play the Capras after injuryplagued half Harry Siejka was a late withdrawal.
The 23-year-old kicked four goals and quickly reasserted himself as the man barking orders to get the Bears around the paddock.
Bears boss Damian Driscoll said it was the best the defending premiers have looked this season.
“It was a different team straightaway … he took off from where he left last year,” Driscoll said of Fogarty’s inclusion.
Burleigh had sealed the result by the 60th minute when centre Connor Broadhurst crossed for the hosts’ fifth try of the afternoon to open the margin to 28-6.
Winger Troy Leo and fiveeighth Dallas Wells each scored twice while Titans prop Paterika Vaivai put in a 61minute performance to stake his claim for an NRL recall.
It was a different story at Kougari Oval, where Gold Coast enforcer Agnatius Paasi aggravated his shoulder problem as Tweed Heads were belted 46-8 by Wynnum-Manly.
Paasi had only got through 27 minutes off the bench before being forced from the field, having hurt the right shoulder which he had reconstructed in the off-season.
It has been a stop-start season for Paasi, who had also fractured his shoulder blade in March, but the Titans confirmed late yesterday the latest complaint was not of a serious nature.
Seagulls coach Aaron Zimmerle said his side ran into a red-hot Wynnum-Manly outfit who had dropped senior players such as former Bronco John Te Reo.
Tweed emerged from the match with further injury concerns including Dane Clarke (concussion) and Sam Saville (sternum), while David Sheridan (hamstring) was ruled out pre-game.
On a positive note, John Olive was among their best in marking opposite centre and Brisbane veteran David Mead.
“I thought he handled himself well and he threatened Meady on multiple occasions,” Zimmerle said.
“Tristan Lumley who debuted for the club, he and John Olive were our players’ player for the game so he (Olive) had an immediate impact for us on the field.”