BRL Grand Final: Underdogs romp to premiership redemption

In a game that promised so much, it lived up to all the hype as the underdogs romped to the 2023 BRL Premiership.

In a game that promised so much, it lived up to all the hype as Wynnum upset the Minor Premiers Bulimba in a gripping contest to take out the 2023 BRL Premiership.

Wynnum Juniors Seagulls 28 defeat Bulimba Bulldogs 18

Both clubs came into the 2023 grand final with very different motivations.

For Bulimba, it was an opportunity to demonstrate just how far they had come.

In 2020, they had been awarded the wooden spoon after only winning the one game and now had a chance to win it all for the first time in the club’s history.

However, it would be Wynnum who would avenge their defeat in last year’s grand final and confirm themselves as the premier club in the competition with a fourth premiership.

Wynnm celebrates winning the BRL grand final. Picture: Facebook

If anyone needed a reminder of how close these two sides were heading into the Grand Final, the opening tries for both teams would be a great indication.

A trademark Tim Tupou bomb would be knocked on leading to Wynnum skipper Savaan Tahere scooting over for his side’s first points.

Copying their opponent’s playbook, Bulimba’s Hayden Herbert matched Tupou’s kicking effort to gift his side possession and Bulldogs’ captain Izaac Skyring would answer back.

After some dominant play from both forward packs early, Bulimba looked to take control with Herbert breaking tackles and looking to get a ball away out the back.

Wynnum’s Willie Malala stole the momentum shooting out of the line and speeding away with the ball to score against the run of play and giving his side the lead.

Bulimba would respond after a dropped ball from Luke Maddaford coming off his own line presented the Bulldogs’ an opportunity, which they would capitalise on, as Nathanael McGavin chased through a deft Tahj Wood grubber to score on halftime.

Nathanael McGavin in his Sunshine Coast days.

A routine scrum early in the second half looked an opportunity for both sides to catch their breaths after a brutal opening fifty minutes.

Seagull Luke Maddaford had other ideas as he would fend off his opposite number and break away for a fifty-metre run to extend his side’s lead.

Letting the passion get the best of him, Maddaford would celebrate by tossing the ball at Bulimba’s skipper leading to some push and shove.

The result would be a sin bin for Maddaford and Wood leaving both teams with 12 men.

After returning to the field, Maddaford would continue the theme of his rocks and diamonds afternoon when he lost the ball coming off his own try line believing the ball had been stripped from his opposing numbers.

With Seagulls’ players waiting for the decision, Bulldog Saimone Ahomana played to the whistle and ran away for the try bringing Bulimba within four points with less than ten minutes to go.

With no healthy bodies on the bench and pressure building, Wynnum coach Jason Harris needed his side to find something if they were going to hold out a Bulimba side coming home strong.

Willie Malala would answer his coach’s call.

As has been the case all season, Wynnum’s goal line defence, led by James Robinson, repeatedly turned away a spirited Bulimba attack, sapping the energy from both sides.

Malala then took his chance taking the ball from the back of the scrum and sprinting 80 metres to ultimately lead to a Jalen Reweti try and a Seagull premiership.

It was a well-deserved return to glory for the Seagulls as they take out the grand prize for the first time since 2020.

Follow @MMcInerney89