Shearers end three year winless drought

For the first time in almost three years, the Ormeau Shearers will be last start winners when they face the Southport Tigers in Round 4 of the Rugby League Gold Coast QTOP A Grade competition.

Last weekend, the Shearers ended a 980-day drought since their last win in the top grade when they toppled the Bilambil Jets 31-22.

The Shearers went winless throughout 2017 and 2018 and were beaten again in Round 1 and 2 this season, before pulling it together for an emotional victory last weekend.

Ormeau coach Julius Kuresa said the win was important for his players and a step towards their ultimate goal of being a regularly competitive team in the local A Grade competition.

“It was a huge morale boost for the team and the club,” he said.

“(It is) very frustrating training hard and not getting the results.

"Our goals will change depending on who we are playing, and we’ll assess our performances after each game. (Long term) our goal is to be competitive.”

Centre Brogan Melrose starred with two tries, four goals and a personal tally of 16 points while halfback Tye Barry had a handy contribution of a try, a conversion and a field goal.

While there was no doubt plenty of celebrations after the breakthrough win last weekend, the Shearers are under no illusions that it gets no easier when they take on the Southport Tigers this Sunday.

The Tigers are a club known for success on the Gold Coast and despite some changes to the roster, under the leadership of multi-premiership winning coach Steve Dowd they look set to be contenders again in 2019.

“Southport have a great coach at the helm who has won many premierships,” Kuresa said.

“They also have a great captain and influential player in Tu Whakatihi-Paikea. I have no doubt it is going to be a tough game.”

Southport have one win and a loss from their two appearances this season and will not be taking the Shearers lightly, especially given the confidence they would have gained from last weekend.

Steve Dowd said the Shearers have recruited well and showed good signs in the pre-season.

“Ormeau are a good side. They beat us in our trial earlier in the year,” Dowd said.

“(They) have some new players in Jesse Malcolm and Tye Barry and they will want to put back-to-back wins together, especially at home.”

The Tigers have been forced into a number of changes this week and while they are fresh off the bye, Dowd said he will be looking for improvement after suffering a loss in their last outing.

“We are a work in progress,” he said. “We need to get our own backyard in order, and we’ll be working on (limiting) errors – we gave too much ball away against Bilambil.”

The Ormeau Shearers clash with the Southport Tigers, kicking off at 2pm on Sunday at Ormeau Shearers, is the match of the round in the QTOP A Grade competition and will be live streamed on Rugby League Gold Coast social media.

Elsewhere in Round 4 the undefeated Burleigh Bears host the Bilambil Jets and the Currumbin Eagles travel to Tugun to take on the Seahawks.

* Main image provided by Jerad Williams, Gold Coast Bulletin.

Rugby League Gold Coast QTOP A Grade Competition Round 4

Tugun Seahawks v Currumbin Eagles – Saturday April 6 at Tugun Seniors, 3pm

Tugun Seahawks

1. Wyndham Peachey 2. Corey Morris 3. Kurt MacDonald 4. Tim Cassidy 5. Troy Canning 6. Keanu Te Kiri 7. Jacob Grant 8. Josh Harvey 9. Sam Meskell 10. Nick Harrold 11. Levi Norton 12. Bryce Thomas 13. Ayden Lee 14. Ethan Roberts 15. Isaac Worboys 16. Macauley Dawson 17. Blake Zillman

Coach: Clint Barends

Currumbin Eagles 

1. Phil Ramage 2. Kurt Perry 3. Mitch Whitton 4. Jake Smith 5. Josh Walker 6. Dan Mortimer 7. Luke Jurd 8. Pele Peletelese 9. Josh Campbell 10. Stuart Mason 11. Mike Gray 12. Matt Munckton 13. Jarrod Gill 14. Zane Willshire 15. Brandon Mahon 16. Jake Gleeson 17. Liam Donnelly

Coach: Ryan Gundry

Burleigh Bears v Bilambil Jets – Sunday April 7 at Pizzey Park, 2pm

Burleigh Bears

1. Connor Toia 2. Te Mcdonald 3. Justin Tavae 4. Josh Berkers 5. Regan Muir Ogle 6. Josh Rogers 7. Matt Egan 8. Oliver Percy 9. Reece Summers 10. Sam Saville 11. Apiata Noema 12. Darius Farmer 13. Jesse Savage 14. Huston Holloway 15. Gene Ropoama 16. Ben Valeni 17. Bailey Court

Coach: Matt Foster

Bilambil Jets

1. Blake Graham 2. Sam Beazley 3. Nathan Ingram 4. Max Campion 5. James Garner 6. Conrad Green 7. Carne Rhodes 8. Mitch Spackman 9. Thomas Rowles 10. Kobi Hugen 11. Jack Rowles 12. Josh Quinn 13. Jack Welsh 14. PJ Tevaga 15. Ryan Taylor 16. Brendan Welsh 17. Bailey Faull

Coach: Kevin Campion

Ormeau Shearers v Southport Tigers – Sunday April 7 at Ormeau Seniors, 2pm

Ormeau Shearers

1. Jay Melrose 2. Jamain Iroa 3. Sionetakapautolo Alofi 4. Brogan Melrose 5. Liam Hori-Clark 6. Joshua Willetts 7. Tye Barry 8. Timothy Wolens 9. Grayson Te Kiri 10. Jesse Malcolm 11. Parahi Wilson 12. Chase Kereama-Williams 13. Blake Midson 14. Anthony Gray 15. Diaz Sharrock 16. Matthew Parata

Coach: Julius Kuresa

Southport Tigers

1. Zoran Watene 2. Tevita Folau 3. Lee Turner 4. Jack Conlon 5. Carlo Alimboyong 6. Campbell Pirini 7. Liam Hampson 8. Jarrod Morfett 9. Jacob Pottinger 10. Denzal Ngati 11. Tu Whakathi-Paikea 12. Simione Ata 13. Luke Polson 15. Corey Walker 16. Dallas Donnelly 17. Lachlan Douglas 18. Ezra Howe

Coach: Steve Dowd

Runaway Bay - bye

Ladder