FORWARD THINKING STEERS GULLS
NEVER before had Ioane Seiuli played in the forward pack. Now it could become a permanent home for the talented 19-year-old.
The Titans-contracted young gun has been a fixture at centre or wing in Tweed’s Intrust Super Cup side this year but, with the encouragement of coach Ben Woolf, had his maiden shot at the pack last weekend.
It proved a masterstroke, with a 49-minute stint off the bench netting two tries as the Seagulls snapped their fivegame losing streak with a 28-12 win over the Central Queensland Capras.
“I loved it. I loved getting closer to the ball and getting in amongst the defence,” said Seiuli, who tips the scales at 104kg.
Woolf said: “Some of the attributes he shows in how he plays his lines and obviously he is a big fella, I had toyed with the idea of giving him a run in the backrow and it just sort of worked out last week that we could do it. He went well there.”
Kody Parsons is another who is primarily known as a centre but has been making the transition. Having impressed on the edge this year in Rugby League Gold Coast for Tugun, he played 80 minutes against the Capras in his first ISC second-row start.
With regular back-rowers Lamar Liolevave and Kalani Going not expected back from injury until after next weekend’s bye, Seiuli and Parsons will get another crack at showing their worth in a 2pm kick-off tomorrow against Mackay at Piggabeen Sports Complex. Sitting seventh, it’s a crunch game for the Seagulls.
“Obviously the aim is to make the eight and that’s our first priority but if we can finish a little bit higher, we’re a chance of picking up a home semi-final which would be big for the club,” Woolf said.
Burleigh have the split round bye; they’ll be back in action next weekend against Redcliffe.