Southport face up to bogy team
SOUTHPORT can go a long way towards sealing a top-two regular season finish if they can topple their 2019 Rugby League Gold Coast nemesis Bilambil at Owen Park tomorrow.
The Tigers have won four of their past five – averaging 38 points a match in that time – to open up a two-game buffer to third-placed Currumbin.
“Everyone is realising the role they play on the field now and they’re doing their role to the best of their ability,” Southport coach Steve Dowd said.
Of the four losses they’ve had all year, two have come at the hands of Bilambil, who have just three wins to their name.
Dowd doesn’t believe it’s a case of the Jets being a bogy team but rather his players needing to lift to keep their recent form up.
“Bilambil were just too good for us the last two games but we’re going to make amends this week,” he said.
“The bonus is that we have got a lot of our players back.”
Front-rower Denzel Ngati, fullback BJ Ruttley and fiveeighth Campbell Pirihi all returned from injury in Southport’s 48-22 smashing of the Eagles last week, while outside back Jack Conlan is due back tomorrow.
“It’s the first time we’ve put a seven and six two weeks in a row on the field together,” Dowd said, with reference to Pirihi and halves partner Drumayne Dayberg-Muir.
The top three teams come the end of the regular season will earn a second bite at the cherry in finals.
Burleigh are runaway leaders but Southport are on track to host a play-off that will give direct entry to the preliminary final.
Around the grounds, the Bears face Runaway Bay at Pizzey Park today and Ormeau take on Currumbin at Brien Harris Oval tomorrow.