McDowall pulls pin on Coast

THE Riley McDowall circus looks to have finally finished, with the 2010 Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League player of the year returning to the Gympie Devils.

THE Riley McDowall circus looks to have finally come to an end, with the 2010 Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League player of the year returning to the Gympie Devils.

McDowall (pictured) began training with the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles late last year after a breakthrough season in the Caloundra RSL Cup.

In February, the Gympie Times reported McDowall was contemplating returning to the Devils, but he made his Intrust Super Cup debut against Mackay in round two before being injured.

He returned from injury through FOGS Cup and was named in the Sea Eagles’ Intrust Super Cup side to face Souths Logan last weekend, but quit the club late last week.

The Devils have contacted the Sea Eagles asking for McDowall to be released ahead of this weekend’s Caloundra RSL Cup match against Beerwah.

Sunshine Coast chief executive Justin Veivers said he was disappointed to the promising forward had not fulfilled his potential.

“He told us late last week that the travel was too much and that he wanted to pull out,” Veivers said yesterday.

“He didn’t play too many games, but it’s disappointing because we’ll never know if he was good enough.

“He played a very good game in reserve grade the week before he pulled the pin and we were excited to see him play Q-Cup.

“But we’ll never know because he didn’t get that chance.”

Yesterday the Sea Eagles named halves Nick Swan and Kane Richards for Sunday’s match against Norths despite the duo being under a fitness cloud.

Swan (appendicitis) and Richards (shoulder) will have until the weekend to prove their fitness for the Bishop Park clash.

The versatile Callum Klein (ankle) is expected to miss up to a month because of ligament damage.

Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles: 1. Malcolm Congoo, 2. Kristian Freed, 3. Maa Ruua, 4. Rowan Klein, 5. Hughie Stanley, 6. Darren Tonihi, 7. Nick Swan, 8. Wiremu Ratana (c), 9. Robbie Congoo, 10. Jon Platt, 11. Jaz Nahu-Main, 12. Steven Spencer, 13. Jon Muir, 14. Joel McRea, 15. Dario Esposito, 16. Kane Richards, 17. Martin Cordwell

Originally published as McDowall pulls pin on Coast