A DAY AT THE FOOTY – CONNOR O’BRIEN’S SNAPSHOT OF ROUND 1 ACTION

THERE was early drama as tensions boiled over in a tight opening match. After a brawl had erupted, new Southport winger Callum Boomer was sent from the field, leaving the Tigers a man short for the last half-hour.

THE Bulletin’s premiership tip Currumbin did it the hard way against Southport, leaving it until the last play of the game to snatch victory through a Blake Anderson (left) try.

FORMER Gold Coast NRL coach Neil Henry was on hand to check out the local footy scene and bumped into familiar faces including exTitans second-rower Matt Robinson.

BURLEIGH had a tough start to their title defence, losing 26-12 to perennial rivals Tweed Heads. Expect the young Bears to improve quickly though, with Intrust Super Cup premiership winner Jeff Lynch (above) set to be back next week.

TOM Rowles had a positive return to the ground where he badly broke his leg in late 2016 while in Burleigh colours. The hooker scored a hat-trick in Bilambil’s 46-12 victory over Ormeau.

KEVIN Gordon’s rugby league comeback appears over before it even began. The former Titans flyer (right) had injury concerns during trials and is now unlikely to play for Tugun.

THE forgotten man in the list of high-profile Rugby League Gold Coast recruits is Tugun’s Paul Sheedy.

The 37-year-old played two NRL games at fullback for the Storm back in 2001.