ONLY WAY IS CUP FOR TWEED
THE TWEED Seagulls have claimed the under-18 Mal Meninga Cup in a pulsating grand final at Kougari Oval.
Tweed survived a late charge from Wynnum-Manly to claim the title 28-24, in what was described by the ground announcer as one of the great under-18 deciders.
The back-and-forth encounter had several momentum shifts, with the game going down to the final play.
Coach Tim McCann claimed the win was special for the NSW-based side, crediting his team’s defence as the difference.
“Both teams are very talented across the park, both knew how to build pressure and it was a high-quality game,” McCann said.
“It was a very special performance.
“Their defence got them over the line today and it’s been that way all season.
“They knew if they made an error they could back it up with their defence.”
Tweed hooker Ediq Ambrosyev was in everything from the opening whistle, and was awarded man-of-thematch honours.
Tweed shot out of the blocks to take a 12-point lead inside the first 10 minutes, with Reece Walsh and Ediq Ambrosyev crossing the chalk for the visitors.
But in what was the first in several momentum swings, Wynnum-Manly pegged two tries of their own to bring the deficit to four points.
Mid-field line-breaks were a huge part of Tweed’s attack throughout the game, finding ways through the home side’s defence to put them on the back foot.
One of these line-breaks led to Tweed’s third try on half time to Kade Hill to stretch their lead to 18-8 at the break.
In another big challenge for the club, Tweed will now play the Illawarra Steelers in next Sunday’s national final of the competition at Dolphin Stadium.