Keebra’s Eastwood bows out on a high note
FORMER Keebra Park student Greg Eastwood will head into retirement at peace after having his premiership moment in yesterday’s national state championship.
After failed grand final challenges with Canterbury in 2012 and 2014, Eastwood rounded out his career on a high, winning the Intrust Super Premiership last week before snaring a national state championship gong as part of the Bulldogs’ 42-18 victory over Queensland’s Intrust Super Cup winners Redcliffe.
Eastwood slotted a sideline conversion late in the match to give the Bulldogs a 36-12 win and while both teams scored again, it did not change the result.
“When I came back from grade I just wanted to lead the young boys around and I knew they had so much energy I knew we’d bring it home,” Eastwood told the NSW Rugby League after the win.
While Eastwood was solid, former Titans forward Lachlan Burr was outstanding off the bench, making 208m from 20 runs in a herculean effort. Another former Titan John Olive was part of the Bulldogs’ squad, while 2016 Burleigh premiership player and Titans half Cameron Culled led the beaten Redcliffe side.
Cullen was outstanding in last week’s Intrust Super Cup final but he and the Dolphins were outclassed by the Bulldogs yesterday.
Despite looking the better side for much of the first half, and levelling the scores at 6-6 late in the first term, Redcliffe conceded two tries before the break, with Dogs five-eighth Josh Cleeland sealing a double that handed his side a 16-6 lead at the break. Redcliffe’s constant errors hurt their chances, with the Dogs leading by four converted tries midway through the second term and their chances gone.