BEARS BOLSTER TITLES CHANCES WITH BIG WIN OVER TUGUN
BURLEIGH are in the box seat to avenge last season’s grand final loss to Tugun after sweeping aside the Seahawks yesterday.
The Bears roared to a 24-4 win at Pizzey Park to leap straight into the decider, while a bruised Seahawks side will have to defend their title the hard way with a preliminary final showdown against Runaway Bay.
Burleigh coach Stuart Wilkins was delighted with his players’ effort but is keeping a lid on celebrations, with the big prize still up for grabs.
“We played very tough footy, really happy,” he said.
“They (the players) will be confident but it’s a different game in the grand final.
“Tugun are an exceptionally good side … they have been in grand finals a lot.
“We have got a young side, I had 19-year-olds out there. We will take a lot out of the win but we understand intimately well that that doesn’t win you a competition.”
Next up for Tugun is Runaway Bay, who scraped through 28-24 against Bilambil on Saturday in the tightest of knock-out finals.
After a scuffle that saw two players from each side sin-binned, it was a Brodie Cook try and Carne Rhodes’ sideline conversion that drew the Jets level to send the contest into golden point.
There, Henry Chan-Ting stepped up to be the Seagulls’ hero, with a one-on-one strip to bag the decisive try.
Despite the “shattering” defeat, the season has been a step in the right direction according to Bilambil president Ryan Helton.
“A top four finish has probably exceeded our expectations,” he said.
“It’s just a credit to the players we have got and the character we have shown all year and how much they have dug in.”