Late try seals it
AFTER a long six-month slog on the training paddock, the Rugby League Gold Coast could not have kicked off in better fashion yesterday.
Players were champing at the bit for the opening whistle, having started pre-season back in November and the first game of the year did not fail to deliver as Currumbin pipped Southport on the final play before the full-time hooter.
In a fiery encounter at Bilambil, Eagles centre Blake Anderson crossed late to nudge his side ahead to the final score of 30-26.
Currumbin are anticipated to be big improvers this year after recruiting well in the offseason. Among the “ins” is playmaker Phil Ramage.
An Eagles junior who went on to represent Burleigh in the Intrust Super Cup, Ramage moved down from the Whitsundays for this season and it was his goal-kicking that proved the difference yesterday.
While the team just scraped across the line against a Tigers outfit that was reduced to 12 after winger Callum Boomer was sent off early in the second half, Ramage said their ability to dig deep was promising for the year ahead.
“Round 1 is never pretty … It’s pretty much who wants to grit their teeth the most and get the win because it is just basically a scrap-fest,” the 34year-old said.
“It felt like we were behind pretty much all of that second half but it is definitely a good confidence booster to know that we can come back and win a tight one because it would have been very easy for us to just pack up shop.
“It’s a good solid foundation to go from now.”
Soon to be joined by exTweed ISC halfback Michael Burgess, Ramage believes a top-three finish this season would be a good result for the Eagles given that they missed the finals in 2017.
Southport, meanwhile, impressed onlookers in showing that they too will be big improvers. Simione Ata, Denzal Ngati and Beau Cordtz were among their best.
Tigers senior president Tim Mahoney felt Boomer’s sendoff for an alleged swinging arm that sparked an all-in was a “pretty tough call” but saw cause for optimism overall.
“Premierships aren’t won in Round 1, so reasonably happy,” he said.
“There were a lot of good signs out there but considering we had the lead with two minutes to go, it was disappointing to lose.”