Siblings set their sights on rematch
IF Easts roll out the 17 Intrust Super Cup players they listed to face Tweed, it will provide Seagulls and Titans halfback Ryley Jacks with an opportunity he has only once held before.
Jacks has been named to mark up on his older brother Rhys today.
The possible hitch in the plan is that Rhys has often been usurped late by Stormcontracted five-eighth Billy Walters and has not played ISC since Round 1.
Nonetheless, Ryley is hopeful the planets can align for the second time in their careers.
The brothers, who played together at Sunshine Coast last year, previously squared off in 2015 when Ryley was at Burleigh and Rhys was with Souths Logan.
“Burleigh got up that day so I think he’s been wanting to get me back since,” Ryley laughed.
“It would be good if he is playing (today).”
The pair grew up in Brisbane playing backyard footy. Ryley, 26, has gone on to play 27 NRL games including two this season for Gold Coast and credits Rhys as a “big help for my career”.
“Whenever he was playing I would just go and watch,” Ryley said.
“I learnt a lot off Rhys and he sort of led the way for me.”
With Tweed looking to continue their best start to an ISC season in years – having won six of their first nine – Ryley will be out to keep pressing his claims for an NRL recall.
“I’m just getting out there and doing the best I can,” he said. “At the end of the day it’s (coach Garth Brennan’s) decision if he wants to pick you or not but you have got to be playing good as well when the time comes.”
Later in the day, Burleigh will shoot for their sixth straight win when they play the Northern Pride in Cairns.