Fifth enough to convince Tugun

TUGUN coach Clint Barends says Runaway Bay are the team to beat despite the Seagulls sitting fifth on the Rugby League Gold Coast ladder.

Bay’s early-season momentum was slowed by injuries and a three-point penalty for fielding a suspended player but they have caught the eye of Barends after easily accounting for the fourthplaced Seahawks twice already.

Currumbin hold the outright lead after nine rounds.

“They have a lot of grit but I still think Runaway Bay, player for player over the park, they look like they are the frontrunners,” said Barends, whose side upset Tweed Heads 17-16 on Sunday. “They have got more strike than anyone else.

“They have got strike out wide, they have got good middle forwards, a decent halfback and hooker.

“They were just too good for us (two weeks ago) and they had a couple of players out.”

Behind the Eagles, teams second to fifth are covered by just one win. Currumbin meet Bay on Saturday in what looms as an intriguing showdown, with both sides coming off wins.