Back to the future in Jets’ title chase
BILAMBIL will this afternoon look to continue their shock surge in the Gold Coast Rugby League finals series driven by the likes of 2011 premiership winner Luke McNamara.
The 27-year-old centre has come out of retirement to join former teammates including five-eighth Tom Dawney, back-rower Jackson Springer and fullback Cal Lynn in driving vast improvement in the Jets’ on-field fortunes.
The club were last year in danger of having to withdraw from the competition but are now 80 minutes away from a place in the preliminary finals.
Bilambil last weekend upset Tweed Heads 28-24 at Piggabeen Sports Complex and now have Runaway Bay in their sights for the 3pm start at Bycroft Oval.
The Jets entered finals in a major slump amid three 50point scorelines conceded but have a 24-16 win over Bay six weeks ago firmly in mind.
McNamara returned from a broken thumb last weekend, only to dislocate his little finger on the same hand five minutes into the match.
However that will not stop him from pushing the Jets towards another surprise result today.
He believes energy will be the key to their chances.
“The whole club is fully behind us so it’s good,” McNamara said.
“That 2011 season we were all young, I was only 21 I think and we have a young side again this year. We just get be- hind each other really and just push each other (with) a lot of energy pretty much.
“I don’t think many people are going to think we will beat them. It’s a tough task at Runaway Bay … but we’re all positive about it.”
McNamara retired after the 2012 season to work in the mines at Moranbah but returned to the Gold Coast last year and started business Miluca Plumbing with Jets stalwart Mitch Spackman, who convinced him to make a comeback.
Tomorrow at 2pm, Burleigh take on Tugun at Pizzey Park with a grand final berth on the line.
The rivals are hot favourites to meet in the decider yet again.
Tugun have won seven matches on the trot while the Bears have only lost two games all year and now have their full complement of players with the club’s Queensland Cup season over.
The state league premiership race will be down to four teams after the weekend, following elimination finals tomorrow between Sunshine Coast and Souths Logan, and Easts against Townsville.