Maloney’s shouldering on
THINGS are starting to look up for Burleigh Bears prop Shaun Maloney.
The 26-year-old’s tough approach to the game has been the catalyst for a string of injuries in the past 12 months but Burleigh coach Jim Lenihan said Maloney shaped as a key figure in the Bears’ Intrust Super Cup game against the Redcliffe Dolphins tomorrow.
The 188cm Maloney is a hard-running 105kg prop who has made a habit of putting dents in opposition defences.
“He has found it hard to get consistent games together because of injuries but he is starting to get going,” Lenihan said.
“He had shoulder issues when he came to us this year and has had a few this year already.
“Shaun plays a strong, rugged game. He has put some games together now and is going well.”
Burleigh remain in the hunt to make the finals and are just two points off sixth-placed Mackay Cutters as they go into the Round 18 game tomorrow.
“The final two or three spots in the top six are up for contention for a lot of teams and we have plenty of time to make a good run at them,” Lenihan said.
“You only have to win a couple games back-to-back to really improve your standing.”
One side who need to arrest a concerning lack of recent success are Tweed Heads Seagulls who will take to Sunshine Coast Stadium to play the Sunshine Coast Falcons tomorrow.
The only two points the Seagulls have recorded in the past six weeks came from last weekend’s bye and the club is under threat of slipping from ninth on the ladder.
The Seagulls have been decimated by injuries this season and lost leading forward Damian Sironen who signed with Newcastle Knights at the end of June.
But fresh from his Queensland under-20 performance young playmaker Karl Lawton will start for the first time in the Intrust Super Cup.
“We will look to try to increase his game time so he can now find his feet at this level,” Tweed Heads coach Aaron Zimmerle said.
“We tried to inject him off the bench initially but in the game against Souths (Logan) he showed glimpses of his threat with the ball and was defensively strong.”