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Wooden spooners in 14th last Intrust Super Cup season, Tweed have won four straight to surge towards a miracle finals tilt
FROM wooden spoon favourites to shock finals contenders – that’s the story of how Tweed Heads’ Intrust Super Cup fortunes have swung dramatically.
The star-studded Seagulls made it four wins on the trot on Saturday with a last-minute penalty goal helping them pip Ipswich 20-18 at Piggabeen Sports Complex.
But between the big names such as Konrad Hurrell and Kane Elgey, Tweed had to turn to their depth in handing debuts to forwards Jaleel Seve and Rory Lillis, plus calling up Jack Cook for his first ISC game time in 2018.
Lillis’ debut was confirmed just three hours before kickoff after Titans prop Leilani Latu was ruled out with a knee niggle on Friday and his replacement Jordan Aiono also fell to a knee complaint.
The Seagulls are far from talking finals but the reality is they are now just one win outside the top six – with home games against fellow mid-table teams Northern Pride and Sunshine Coast in the next fortnight.
“From day one we have believed that we were capable of competing and now we’re showing that I guess,” coach Ben Woolf said.
“A bit of class coming back from the Titans helps. Your bubble can burst pretty quickly but … we are showing that we have got good depth and the guys that are stepping up are doing a good job.
“We have still got some guys like Tristan Lumley and Hiale Roycroft, who were some of our better performers early on, they’re busted at the moment but we are doing a good job without them.”
Kiah Cooper was the pick of the Titans contingent against the Jets and scored two tries inside the final six minutes to spark the comefrom-behind victory, having earlier trailed 18-4.
Following Cooper’s second try, Ipswich were caught off-side at the kick-off.
Up stepped McGrady, who had endured a previously tough day with the kicking tee, to boot a 50m penalty goal to snatch the win.
Hurrell helped set up the penultimate try while Elgey bagged a four-pointer of his own.