Zimmerle gets finish he wanted

MAYBE nice guys don’t finish last, after all.

Popular Tweed Heads coach Aaron Zimmerle was farewelled yesterday in fine fashion as his players lifted themselves off the canvas to complete the rare feat of beating minor premiers Papua New Guinea twice in one season, this time a 26-18 scoreline at Piggabeen Sports Complex.

In doing so, they leapfrogged Central Queensland to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon at the last moment.

It was a fairytale finish few saw coming for the QCup coach of five years, after his undermanned side had fallen to a shattering 18-16 loss to the Northern Pride a week earlier.

“I can’t thank the club enough … I owe my team a lot,” an emotional Zimmerle said after a post-match ceremony and one last chance to sing the victory song.

Zimmerle hailed Seagulls stalwart James Wood as the best on ground in what could be his final QCup game.

Wood’s future is undecided but knows he has not played his last game altogether.

The 32-year-old centre is involved in Vanuatu rugby league and will line up for the island nation against the Solomon Islands in October.

He also has an eye on the 2018 Emerging Nations World Cup.

“If that was my last game (for Seagulls) it was a good game to go out on anyway,” he said, hailing desperation as the cornerstone of the win.

On Saturday, Burleigh ended their season with a 32-12 loss to Easts.

Bears coach Jimmy Lenihan tipped the third-placed Tigers to be a major contender.

“If they can keep that sort of side together for the next month they are a real good chance of winning it,” he said.

“Certainly they are the best side we have played in the last 10 or 12 weeks.”