HAWKS FOCUS ON SOUTHS CHALLENGE
RUGBY LEAGUE: There are a myriad of possibilities that can eventuate depending on the result of tomorrow’s final round Hutchinson Builders TRL Premiership battle between Gatton and Souths at Cahill Park.
But Hawks forward Mark Swan wants his team to focus on just one.
Gatton, Souths and Warwick are all in the running to secure sixth spot on the ladder and the last remaining position in the TRL finals heading into this weekend’s final round.
The Hawks are in the box seat as a win or a draw against Souths will see them through to the finals.
Souths needs to beat Gatton to force a mid-week play-off, while Warwick needs to down fourth-placed Highfields at home tomorrow and rely on the Tigers to simultaneously defeat the Hawks to feature in a mid-week play-off.
Swan, who is returning from injury for the Hawks, is not looking beyond tomorrow’s home game against Souths.
“We aren’t really thinking about what is ahead of us. We’re just thinking about what we have this week,” Swan said.
“Our fate is in our own hands. It’s our game to win,
❝Our fate is in our own hands. It’s our game to win.
— Mark Swan
it’s our game to lose.”
The scenario makes for an exciting climax to the regular season, one which Gatton heads into without impressive young forward Shannon Hicks.
That will leave bigger jobs for the likes of Swan, Dennis Burgoyne and Scott Cubit.
Warwick captain Paul Cantwell accepts his team has to beat the Eagles and rely on Souths to down Gatton for the Cowboys’ season to continue.
“That is the only way we can make the finals so it will have to do,” he said.
Warwick is coming off a loss to ladder leaders Valleys last weekend, while Highfields heads into the last round after a loss to Wattles.
Turn to pages 49-50 for more rugby league news.
Head to www.thechronicle .com.au/sport from 2.30pm on Sunday for a live blog on the Gatton v Souths game and updates from Warwick v Highfields.