High flyers v rock: it’s going to be big
THE showdown is here: Rugby League Gold Coast’s hottest attacking outfit against the supreme defence of the premiership favourites.
All eyes this weekend will be on the Southport v Burleigh top-of-the-table clash kicking off at 2pm tomorrow at Owen Park.
Entering Round 19, the highly fancied Bears have dropped just one game – a two-point loss to Tugun.
Each week their playing personnel has changed significantly and yet each week they have been able to combine to stonewall their opposition.
Southport meanwhile have flown under the radar for much of the season but have really started attracting attention during their past five games.
In that run, the Tigers have been unbeaten, piling on 262 points and conceding just 80.
Burleigh’s past five games have been against those exact same teams for four wins, a loss and an overall scoreline of 146-54.
“Steve Dowd is a smart coach and he gets players playing well,” Bears mentor Matt Foster said of his Southport counterpart.
“They’re certainly a big, physical unit and with (halfback) Drumayne DaybergMuir, he’s just got that experience to guide them around.
“It’s nice going into a game like this. Every week people expect Burleigh to win but I don’t think that’s the case this week.”
Burleigh, who have already used 45 players this season, are expected to have former Titans flyer Tyronne Roberts-Davis back on deck this week.
Taine Tuaupiki and Reece Summer too may return from injury, though it appears they have lost veteran forward Jamie Dowling for the remainder of the year after a recurrence of his osteitis pubis issue.
For Southport, they have plenty to play for.
“We want to beat every side in the competition rounds for the year and Burleigh are the only side we haven’t beaten,” Dowd said.
“Win, lose or draw, I just want the boys to know they can beat them.”
A key element of Southport’s form has been their stability in the spine, with fullback BJ Ruttley, fiveeighth Campbell Pirihi, halfback Dayberg-Muir and hooker Liam Hampson combining well.
In other matches this weekend, Currumbin will host Runaway Bay today while Tugun head south tomorrow to face Bilambil.