The Tweed Heads Seagulls flocked to Bundaberg for their match against the Capras for this past weekend’s Country Week round and ended up being just too strong for the CQ side, winning 20-16.
Seagulls fullback Ali Grant scored two individual tries in the last 10 minutes of the match to seal the win for his side in a seesawing game.
Tweed Heads coach Aaron Zimmerle said he was pleased with his team’s ability to come from behind and in the final stages of the game to win.
“We have lost six games this season (by) six points or under and we haven’t been able to come from behind and win like we did against the Capras,” he said.
“The Capras were a really good physical side and was a quick moving game like Townsville. We missed a few opportunities to break clear, but full credit to the Capras.
With 11 players in his side from rural towns, Zimmerle said while the two points was important, the ‘Get in the Game’ Country Week round was a great opportunity for rural kids to see semi-professional footy being played.
“It was important for us to make the game worth watching and was great to have local kids involved within the side at the end of the game,” Zimmerle said.
“This is something the NRL are just too big to be able to do, but its great the Intrust Super Cup are able to allow people from rural towns to still be able to enjoy this level of NRL.”
The Seagulls will take on the in form Ipswich Jets this Sunday and Zimmerle will be hoping for this momentum to carry on into this weekend.
“We won’t get to play finals this season, but we just need to keep moving forward,” he said.
“We play Ipswich this weekend, they are playing some great footy and we will have to work out a method to beat them.”
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 20 (Ali Grant 2, Nathanael Barnes, Blake Anderson tries; Jamal Fogarty 2 goals) def CQ CAPRAS 16 (Jake Ainsworth, Marco Delapena, Dan Randall tries; Matt Minto, Ian Webster goals) at Salter Oval, Bundaberg.
Final Teams
CQ Capras: 1. Reece Baker 2. Jake Ainsworth 3. Marco Delapena 4. Sam Smith 18. Tarrant Mariner 6. Matt Minto 7. Mark Johnstone 8. Gerard Tema 9. Ian Webster 10. Gavin Hiscox 11. Tyson White 12. Rajan Opetaia-Halls 13. Guy Williams (c) 19. Dan Randall 15. Nathan Young 16. Josh Johnston 17. Corbyn Kilday
Tweed Heads Seagulls: 1. Ali Grant 2. Nathanael Barnes 3. James Wood (c) 4. Shaun Carney 5. David Sheridan 6. Jamal Fogarty 7. Sam Foster 8. Will Bugden 9. Sam Meskell 10. Ethan Price 11. Shawn Anderson 12. Blake Anderson 13. Sam Saville 14. Ricardo Parata 15. Anthony Colman 16. Dane Clarke 17. Jai Ingram
Watch the highlights from this match: Round 23 Capras v Tweed
