GILLIN ON RADAR OF SOUTHEAST
SUCH has been the form of Jamaine Gillin, his captain does not believe he will be in the Western Suburbs’ teal for much longer.
The Dragons fullback turned in another dominant display in his side’s 40-3 victory over Burdekin, scoring a try and posing a constant threat with his kicking game.
It was not so much the distance Gillin put off his boot, but the danger.
His spiralling torpedo bombs caused chaos for the Canetoads’ back three, who bravely took the field having just played in reserve grade with many of their teammates.
With Brisbane Premier Rugby clubs on the hunt for Gillin’s services, Western Suburbs skipper Brandon Luta does not foresee a long future in Townsville for the dynamic fullback.
But as bittersweet as it may be, he would not have it any other way.
“It’s ridiculous isn’t it?” Luta laughed when asked about Gillin’s kicking game.
“He’s been working on it personally on his own and you can see it on the paddock, he’s a fantastic fullback. “We might not have him for much longer, he’s too good so he might get picked up by some Brisbane teams.
“But that’s what we want for him, we want our local football to be seen and to get some of our young boys noticed and on to the next stage.”
There were times on Saturday night when tensions reached boiling point.
The Dragons were brutal at the breakdown, and constantly forced Burdekin on its heels at each scrum.
But after one second-half scrum, it escalated.
Every tackle from the ensuing passages of play was packed with additional ferocity not seen throughout the rest of the game.
It led to Dragons forward Jason Wilkins being sent to the sin bin, and Luta said it was the heated moments they needed to bury.
Western Suburbs’ next three games come against Townsville rugby heavyweights North Ward, Teachers West and Brothers, and the skipper said they could not afford to ruin their work through sloppy penalties and acts based on emotion.