WINGERS SPRINT TO THE FINISH

PBC plot to strip Colleges ace of scoring title

PALM Beach Currumbin players have vowed to do “whatever we can” to help winger Sai Bakata dethrone competition leading tryscorer Blake Griffin as the race hits the final straight.

Griffin, 26, is one match away from taking out his fifth Gold Coast District Rugby Union scoring title in six seasons.

The Colleges ace has scored 15 tries in 13 matches to lead the race going into the final round but his grip on the title is far from secured.

PBC rival Bakata has scored 13 tries in 11 matches, including four last weekend, with a match-up against Gold Coast Eagles on Saturday.

The wooden spooners have conceded almost seven tries per game and last week gave up five to Nerang winger Josh Edmond alone.

Griffin can feel Bakata breathing down his neck.

“I reckon Sai’s going to score a couple against Eagles,” he said.

“PBC have a great forward pack, the centres to bust through and Sai’s got speed so I’m backing him to get three or four.

“I’m just going to score as many tries as I can against Surfers.

“If I get three or four it’ll make it nearly impossible, he’ll have to beat my record of seven tries in a match to win.”

Palm Beach fullback Ethan Lolesio said Bakata’s teammates would do everything in their power to help him beat that record and take the title.

“Sai’s a pretty humble guy so he won’t be thinking about it but all the boys will be backing him and feeding him,” Lolesio said.

“We’ll do whatever we can do. “I know I’ll be making it my mission to make sure he gets past Blake.

“We’ll throw the ball back to him (from over the tryline) Rugby Sevens style, and he’ll back it himself as well.”

Griffin said it was exciting to have a rival pushing him to improve his game.

“I kind of love it,” he said. “Everyone knows that I score tries and I like to score tries but it makes me want to play better and score more tries.

“People love to give me s*** and banter but it’s good when you score and walk back and it’s all silent.”

Griffin will have more than just Bakata gunning for him, with his club captain Jaye Paton third in the race with 12 tries.

The bulk of those have come from No.8, riding on the back of the competition’s most dominant scrum.

If Paton elects to keep it tight Griffin could be frozen out of the game entirely, opening the door to the title for Bakata or Paton himself.

Colleges and Palm Beach Currumbin will contest the major and minor semi-finals regardless of their results against Surfers and Eagles on Saturday.

Who they will face is still up in the air.

If Helensvale defeat Coomera, Nerang must beat Bond to secure their place in the major semi-final.