There’s no better way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon than a historical rematch; 40 years on from the 1985 Brisbane Rugby League Grand Final, the Souths Logan Magpies and Wynnum Manly Seagulls will once more battle for supremacy.
Though big Mal and the king of Lang Park won’t be playing one another, there will be a flock of birds both competing for the attention of Broncos’ head coach Michael ‘Madge’ Maguire.
Head-to-head it’s all Magpies, with a record 34 to 19 over the Seagulls.
Both teams will head into Sunday’s match ruing the weekend just gone, with Wynnum losing 34-24 to Townsville and Souths Logan falling narrowly, 30-24 to the Northern Pride.
In the many match ups between these two sides, high-scoring affairs remain consistent.
The Seagulls blitzed the Magpies 54-20 in their last bout, and the Magpies notched up a 40-10 victory nearly 12 months ago.
If history is anything to go by, we likely won’t see a 10-8 score line like we did in 1985.
Despite their position on the ladder, the Magpies currently own the best attack in the league, averaging 29 points a game.
However, their attacking consistency doesn’t translate to defence, conceding a league high 27 points a game.
Their inconsistency on both sides of the ball leaves them vulnerable if their attack can’t get started.
Confusingly, the Magpies have the third least missed tackles in the Hostplus Cup, though they have a tendency to leak soft points throughout a match.
Conversely, the Seagulls have been consistent in defence this year, though last Sunday proved an exception, as they struggled to get moving in the game’s opening 50 minutes.
The final score proved flattering to Wynnum, as Townsville were in the driver’s seat for the majority of the match, despite a late attacking onslaught from Wynnum.
Speaking of players on Michael Maguire’s radar, Wynnum starlet Cameron Bukowski has earnt a spot in the starting 13 this weekend.
Coming off the bench last weekend, Bukowksi showed his prowess with the boot, with his long-range kicks allowing breathing room whenever the Blackhawks had their opposition pinned in their own end.
The former u19 Queenslander also showed a deft ability to bring his forwards into the match and provide them space for hit ups.
Bukowksi will be crucial for the Seagulls in this match, and a start in Round 13 may open the door for the young hooker to accrue more game time than usual.
Bukowksi will be facing off against Blake Mozer this round, as both young guns vie for the coveted number 9 jersey in Red Hill.
To tune into this intriguing affair, visit Qplus.tv, 9now or Kayo for live and free coverage on Sunday, though Qplus.tv is the only place to catch every Hostplus Cup match live and on demand.
