‘Freak’ try for Tweed victory

TWEED Heads pulled out the ultimate “freakish try” to get off the mark for 2018, stunning Wynnum Manly 26-22 in an Intrust Super Cup thriller.

Seven days after producing a poor performance against Townsville, the Seagulls competed hard all game to be in the hunt for their maiden win under new coach Ben Woolf on Saturday night.

With the scores level deep into the second half, Tweed put themselves in range for a field-goal attempt.

A twist followed, with Eli Levido’s drop kick rebounding off the post and into the hands of his halves partner Lindon McGrady, who in turn kicked cross-field to find his cousin Brayden McGrady on the right for the matchwinner.

It would be the last play of the game and the latter’s third try on a night in which Tweed’s right edge was rampant.

“It was a freakish try,” second-rower Lamar Liolevave said. “They (Lindon and Brayden) just have that family bond, especially on the field they know where each other will be at all times.”

Liolevave and Sam Meskell filled in as co-captains in the absence of usual skipper Cheyne Whitelaw, who was a late withdrawal due to a shoulder complaint and the removal of a wisdom tooth.

Liolevave felt the game had been won in the previous defensive set, when they regathered after a Wynnum try to pin the hosts in their own half.

He added the effort could be used as a platform to get on a roll now.

“We worked too hard just to get a tie,” he said. “And we needed the win as well so hopefully that leads into next weekend and gives us a bit of confidence.

“The main thing we focused on in this game was our completion rate because we have just been dropping the ball so many times in every other game.

“This time we completed really well.”

Tweed remain last on the ladder, with a tough Round 7 against Easts Tigers at Piggabeen Sports Complex.