GULLS AND BEARS RELY ON CLUB DEPTH
BURLEIGH and Tweed will be without their respective Gold Coast Titans affiliate players for Saturday’s blockbuster Intrust Super Cup clash at Pizzey Park.
All NRL clubs and players remain in level four lockdown, limiting the two Titans feeder clubs from accessing their pool of top-up players for a still unknown period of time.
It adds an extra dimension to Saturday’s already enticing contest between the two south coast teams that are jostling for a foothold in the top four.
Burleigh coach Rick Stone anticipates the Bears will be without their Titans players for “a couple of weeks yet” and Tweed counterpart Ben Woolf is similarly in the dark.
“I’m not sure when they’ll be allowed back to be honest,” Woolf said.
“We’re obviously not alone in that either. We’re a club that does have a good Titans influence … teams like
Souths Logan, Sunshine Coast and Easts are probably in the same boat as well.
“It’ll be a bit of an equaliser for the comp I guess.”
With the Titans on an NRL bye this weekend, the Round 13 clash loomed as a great opportunity for fans to see the next wave of Titans regulars in action for Burleigh and Tweed.
Though that is now off the cards, both the Bears and Seagulls have proved through three months of the 2021 season that their core group of players can get the job done.
Burleigh in particular has been significantly tested this season, with as many as 35 different players rotating through the Cup side so far.
“It’s a good testament to the strength of our A-Grade team and depth, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll win games,” Stone said.
“It’s a big step up from A-Grade footy to Queensland Cup.
“Hopefully the experience they’ve gotten will hold them in good stead in the next couple of weeks if we need to be without our Titans boys.”
Tweed ended a long-running drought against the Bears in a dour 16-12 affair back in Round 4.
Both sides have lost just once since then, setting the stage for a
similarly close contest with plenty to play for at Pizzey Park.
“This is a massive one I think,” Woolf said. We sit three points clear of four teams on 14 points (including Burleigh) and a lot of them need to play each other or other top teams this weekend.” Kick-off is 2.10pm.