Tweed Heads Seagulls v Ipswich Jets at Piggabeen Sports Complex on Saturday, May 12 – 1.30pm
Tweed Heads Seagulls
1. Brendan Elliot 2. Ryland Jacobs 3. Kiah Cooper 4. Brayden McGrady 5. Shaun Carney 6. Lindon McGrady 7. Kane Elgey 8. Leilani Latu 9. Sam Meskell 10. Cheyne Whitelaw (c) 11. Manuel-Liolevave 12. Ryan Simpkins 13. Maia Sands 15. Jack Cook 17. Shane Gillham 14. Eli Levido 16. Jarrod Morfett 18. Regan Muir 19. Tony Matautia
Coach: Ben Woolf
Ipswich Jets
1. Wes Conlon 2. Marmin Barba 3. Pio Seci 4. Sam Caslick 5. Richie Pandia 6. Julian Christian 7. Dane Phillips 8. Tyson Lofipo 21. Kierran Moseley 10. Nat Neale (c) 11. Ben White 12. Seb Pandia 13. Ben Shea 9. Jayden Connors 15. Huskie Teutau 16. Rowan Winterfield 17. Rory Humphreys 19. Mitch Carpenter
Coach: Ben Walker and Shane Walker
HEAD TO HEAD: Tweed 19 Jets 13
LAST TIME THEY PLAYED: Round 16 in 2017.
IPSWICH JETS 40 (Michael Purcell 3, Wes Conlon 2, Nemani Valekapa, Sam Martin tries; Wes Conlon 6 goals) def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 14 (Michael Burgess, John Olive, Tevita Folau tries; Lindon McGrady goal) at North Ipswich Reserve
ROUND 10
The Jets have only won three times at Tweed from 17 games. In 2014 the first week of the finals the Jets recorded, their first ever win at the Coast. The Jets backed it up with another win round 24 2015 and round one 2017. Tweed have not beaten the Jets since round 13 in 2016, the Jets have won the last three games between these two clubs. Head to head Tweed are still in front 19 wins to Ipswich 13.
Tweed are currently sitting in 11th spot having won three from eight games. The Jets are in 6th with five wins. Tweed have accrued 158 points in attack against the Jets 155 while in defence it’s all Jets with 166 points against 212.
Both teams are well rested with the bye last week and both teams are in form. The Jets having won their last two games and the Seagulls their last three.
TWEED
In round eight the Seagulls dealt the Cutters a savage blow beating them 52-24. The Seagulls were outstanding. They will take on the Jets looking for four wins in a row. After a slow start to the season the Seagulls are attacking now with force. Round one-five the Seagulls scored 46 points then rounds five to seven 102 points. AJ Brimson was a big part of this preview since the move to fullback he was outstanding against the Cutters, two tries, three tackle breaks and a line break. He took the game away from the Cutters with 157 metres of ball returning excellence. Since the move to the back Brimson has made 13 tackle breaks in three games and scored four tries. The Jets won’t have to worry now since Brimson has been called up to the Titans.
LINDON MCGRADY
McGrady has a great combination with his brother and the Jets will be on alert for them when they are near each other. McGrady has played four games this year and has five try assists. His kicking game has been excellent forcing four-drop outs in those five games to keep the pressure on the opposition.
CHEYNE WHITELAW
The Tweed captain is a typical Seagulls’ forward leader. He rips in and does his job. Whitelaw has rmade 675 metres for Tweed with a massive 210 metres against the Tigers and then backed that up again with 150 metres against the Cutters in the Seagulls’ big win.
BRAYDEN MCGRADY
The Intrust Super Cup’s leading try scorer with 10 and McGrady is building a nice career strike rate of 19 tries from 17 games. McGrady has only played five games this year but has seven line breaks and 18 tackle breaks.
Tweed will take the momentum from the big win over Cutters and be keen to make sure that Tweed is a place to be feared again.
IPSWICH
The Jets are coming off their best win of the year over Redcliffe. They have now won two games in a row. Tweed is similar to the Capras and Cutters games this season; games the Jets were expected to win but came up short. This could be a danger game for the Jets.
JAYDEN CONNORS
I love watching Connors play; he comes on sparks the Jets just after half time. Connors is averaging 32 minutes a game and in that time has a try assists and forced two-drop outs and 14 tackle breaks. He is great cover for injury in the halves too. In round one when Dane Phillips was hurt and could not continue, Connors played 70 minutes.
RICHARD PANDIA
The return of Pandia was a triumphant one. Pandia has only played two games this year but his runs are so important to the Jets. Panida has 37 runs from two games and 12 tackle breaks. He is the Jets’ Michael Hancock. If you’re a Jets forward and you look up and say Pandia getting into dummy half or returning a kick you’d feel like high fiving him.
BEN WHITE
White made his debut in 2014 and has now played 41 games for the Jets. I do not think he has ever played better football. He is an excellent mover around the field and fills gaps everywhere. White has a bit of Kurt Capewell about him with his running and how quickly he gets to the ball. White has played all but nine minutes this season in the Jets eight games and has 22 tackle breaks.
The Tweed are looking to keep going ahead while the Jets want to maintain the rage and win three in a row. Both teams have momentum and won’t want to give it up.