MISSING RECRUIT
WHERE IS EASTWOOD?
A MONTH out from the start of the 2021 Rugby League Gold Coast season, reigning premier Runaway Bay has still not sighted boom recruit Greg Eastwood at training.
The Seagulls shocked the league in January when they announced Eastwood, a veteran of 242 NRL games, would return to play for the club he once represented as a teenager.
But all the excitement around the former Broncos and Bulldogs big man’s arrival at Bycroft Oval has slowly dissipated, with A-grade coach Nick Gleeson admitting it was now unlikely Eastwood lines up for the Seagulls this season.
“I haven’t heard a thing,” Gleeson said.
“I was meant to speak to him last week but with everything that’s been happening, I haven’t.
“Last I heard he’s training with the Newtown Jets at the moment.”
Gleeson said Eastwood was still waiting on the sale of his Sydney home before relocating to the Gold Coast, and with his children now returned to school, the window to return to Queensland was closing fast.
“It’s out of our hands now. He’s waiting on his house to sell – if that happens it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” Gleeson said.
“At the end of the day he would be great to have in the team but the boys have trained the best part of four months without him.”
When Runaway Bay first announced Eastwood’s signing, Gleeson said the 34-year-old’s biggest impact would be felt at training and as a mentor for the talented crop of juniors a t the club.
“He was always a bonus to have, but if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t happen,” the coach said.
“Him coming in would be great for the boys, but if he does that also pushes someone out (of the team) who has been working hard.
“(Eastwood) will hopefully make his way here when he can.
“The boys aren’t talking about it. It’s something we’re not even addressing at the moment. “