CrossFit’s ace for Leo’s pace
TROY Leo’s phenomenal season has him on the radar of multiple Queensland Cup clubs and he has CrossFit to thank for it.
Leo has taken full advantage of his blistering speed to score 24 tries in 13 Gold Coast Tweed A-grade games for Southport this year.
On only two occasions has he failed to find the line.
The 20-year-old centre backed up his hat-trick against Ormeau a fortnight ago with a four-try effort against Currumbin last weekend.
But there was a time, while back in his native New Zealand, when he feared his natural pace had abandoned him.
“I went through a phase where I thought I had lost it. I had started going to the gym and I think I became top heavy,” he said. “Then I started getting into a bit of CrossFit stuff and that really helped me with my speed again.”
Leo grew up playing touch football and rugby union but last year made himself at home in league in the three-quarters, crossing for 27 tries for the Northcote Tigers in the Auckland competition.
He moved across the ditch in November to live with his father and has been a revelation in his new set of Tigers colours.
Having been selected for Round 1 in Southport’s reserves, Leo made an irresistible case for an immediate promotion when injury struck down incumbent right centre Jordan Stewart.
Leo is stoked with how his season has progressed from there, helping the side to second place on the ladder by priding himself on “beating the man one-on-one”.
On the back of such form, the Bulletin can confirm he has caught the eye of Queensland Cup clubs including Tweed Heads and Burleigh.
Heading into their last regular season match against Runaway Bay tonight, Southport have a battle on their hands to maintain second – which carries the reward of a home semi-final against the third-ranked team.
Currumbin’s injuryenforced forfeit against Tugun grants the Seahawks an automatic 50-point winning margin. Thus, Southport must defeat Bay by more than 28 points to stay ahead of Tugun.
“It’s massive pressure for the boys but I think it is a good bar that we need to aim for,” said Leo, noting they couldn’t be satisfied with simply scraping over the line.
However, if they lose and Burleigh defeat Bilambil tomorrow, the Tigers could drop to fourth which would pit them against Bay in an elimination playoff.
In the weekend’s other game, Tweed Heads host Ormeau.