Seagulls mentor welcomes new rule
TWEED Seagulls coach Neil Richards has praised the introduction of the six-again ruck infringement rule into the under-16s pathway, adamant it will instil greater discipline in the game’s next generation of stars.
The club’s Cyril Connell Challenge mentor is fresh off seeing his squad in action for the first time in 2023; a 24-0 trial defeat last Saturday to the Souths Logan Magpies.
It was the age group’s first taste of the laws introduced to first-grade in 2020, which awards a fresh set when defences are caught holding down in the ruck.
Now they will have another chance to test themselves when they clash with the Northern Rivers on Saturday.
“I think the interesting thing with the 16 age group is that possession is everything; if you’re not completing your sets and turning the footy over all the time, it hurts you,” Richards said.
“In this group you can see scores blow out if the possession is too much. I think it will teach kids to be more disciplined, and possession will be even more important.
“For these young men it’s the first step of their journeys to NRL players.”
Meanwhile, behind Burleigh coach Ryan Gundry’s selection approach was a desire to unearth the diamonds in the rough that could take rugby league by storm.
Gundry said he wanted the youngsters who displayed the raw natural ability that could be honed into something special.
That raw ability will also be on show come Saturday afternoon, when the young Bears have their first pre-season hit-out against Souths Logan.
“We were looking for kids that were outside of the box a little bit and been overlooked in a lot of things previously,” he said.
“It’s hard at the southern end of the coast and the kids at Helensvale and Coomera. You don’t get exposed to them as much.
“We wanted to bring those kids in and give them an opportunity to be part of the Bears and the pathway that we can provide.”