It’s been about 15 years since the Bowen Junior Seagulls have experienced premiership success in the Townsville District Junior Rugby League competition, and it took the 2015 Under 10s to break the drought in the recent Grand Finals.
To win as many games in a row as possible was the motivation the players needed to play inspiring rugby league. Having not being defeated since mid-2014, the players were positive and confident about what lay ahead for the 2015 season.
However, even the most confident would not have predicted the outcome. To win a premiership is a dream that many rugby league players will never experience, so to win a premiership and to go through the entire season without tasting defeat is an achievement that only a very few will experience.
Coach Brett Glazebrook put the success down to a simple formula. “At the start of the year, we trained hard with our main focus on fitness and defence.”
The team’s performance at the Gordon Tallis Cup where they lost their pool to a strong Brisbane Easts Tigers team boosted their confidence and Glazebrook knew they could finish the regular season undefeated.
But it wasn’t easy. “The first week of the finals, we took on Townsville Brothers and won in extra time,” he said.
“This was the first time the boys were really pushed, but they dug deep to win giving us the next week off and sending us straight through to the grand final.”
It was the same Brothers team the young Seagulls faced in the decider. “Once again the boys really dug deep, and played tough footy to bring home the trophy.”
Glazebrook made special mention of the forward pack. “They really gave it to Brothers with Jack Laffey and Kane Dyne laying the platform and great defensive efforts from second rowers Riley Carter and Clayton Beeg. Our great little master hooker Antonio Ratcliff scored a good try getting the boys going. Our bench forwards, Davis Tapim , Ethan Fatouna and Whyatt Tetley really kept it going when they came on.”
The backs too impressed their coach.
“Five-eighth Riston O’Grady was awesome scoring a double and getting man of the match. Our backs performed out of this world and defence was the key. Strong defensive efforts from Mace Kirk , Dabad Dau , Zach Rolfe , Trent Anderson and Brandan Ahwag but special mention to halfback Fletcher Glazebrook. He really stood up in the final and was everywhere. Anyone that watched one of our games this year would see his direction around the park.”
Coach Glazebrook knows a thing or two about rugby league. His career began as an Under 6 player at the Bathurst Panthers. Most recently, however he was part of the premiership winning Whitsunday Brahmans this year after a seven year break from the game.
