Tweed Seagulls beat Burleigh Teams in the Meninga Cup final

Meninga Cup grand final Super Six Players of the Day includes Titans signed halfback Zane Harrison who steered Tweed to the premiership. It was Harrison’s 11th title win alongside his twin brother Isaac.

Zane Harrison, with cup, and some of his teammates celebrate the win.

QRL chief executive and former Origin player Ben Ikin doffed his cap to Tweed’s premiership winning captain Zane Harrison after the halfback steered the Tweed Seagulls to a 36-12 win over Burleigh Bears at Kayo Stadium on Saturday.

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Harrison claimed the man of the match award in an emphatic team performance which saw Tweed score 30 unanswered points after a tug of war opening between the teams.

Harrison and his twin brother Isaac, the team’s No. 13, have now won 11 premiership between them playing for either the Tweed Seagulls, the Northern Rivers Titans representative side, or school teams at Palm Beach Currumbin SHS.

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His lead from the front performance on Saturday prompted QRL boss Ikin, himself a former elite halve, to heap praise on him for his “footy brain’’ and ability to nail the big moments in matches.

Harrison, his prop Jack Schmidt, back rowers Junior Filimaua, Jac Finigan, Isaac Harrison, and interchange forward Tom Summer were particularly impressive in their team’s win.

Twin trouble – brothers Zane and Isaac Harrison won their 11th premiership.

Asked about his own personal milestone of winning 11 titles, Harrison quickly deflected praise toward his teammates. “We worked hard for this and it is special to win with this group and especially with my brother in the team,’’ Zane Harrison said.

Tweed coach Sam Meskell, who had a decorated career as a player for Tweed Seagulls, now has a premiership as coach with his beloved club.

“Across the season I have admired our resilience,’’ Meskell said.

“Not every game was smooth sailing and the boys had to dig in at times and learn how to play from behind and from in front.’’

Burleigh Bears captain Bailey McConnell tried hard.

He agreed a turning point was an intercept by winger Bailey Simpson after his team had been under pressure in defence with the Bears attacking the line at 6-all.’’

Although they lost by plenty today, Burleigh played their part in a wonderful season and the football they produced across the last three months was some of the most exciting seen.

Despite the best efforts of second rower Jett Bryce, and the early efforts of Brady Turner, Amare Milford and Cooper Bai before being injured, Burleigh lost their way when momentum swung on the back of the Bailey Simpson intercept which led to Tyson Ploegsma scoring one of his three tries.

“It is always disappointing to lose on the big day, but at the end of the day we have had a really good year.

“It has been successful and we have produced a lot of good young men and developed plenty of good players. We can take pride from that,’’ Burleigh coach Ben Linde said.

Super Six Players of the Day

Zane Harrison (Tweed): The Tweed captain who was in everything, earning man of the match awards.

Jac Finigan (Tweed): The edge second rower from the Tweed Seagulls was a defensive hard man who got through a ton as well.

Jett Bryce (Burleigh): Bryce did not deserve to be on the losing side with another tireless performance for Burleigh Bears.

Burleigh played their part in a grand season.

Jack Schmidt (Tweed): He was knocked for six early by rival prop Brady Turner but recovered to lead his team’s middle third charge.

Junior Filimaua (Tweed): Was a defensive henchman taking on Burleigh’s giant left edge attack of Amre Milford and Phillip Coates.

Isaac Harrison (Tweed): Was an unsung hero at No. 13 who did a lot of the dirty work.

Special mentions:

Cooper Bai (Burleigh): Was magnificent before leaving 20 minutes into the game with an ankle injury.

Tom Summer (Tweed): Was mighty during his second half stint as an interchange forward, and twice took rucks in the lead up to a crucial try.

Happy days for this Meninga Cup premiership winning side from Tweed.

Five-eight Ryder Williams and hooker Cory Pearse (both Tweed) were like the invisible men with their smooth service perfect in helping their captain Zane Harrison release his backline.

Brady Turner (Burleigh) was magnificent at the start for Burleigh, a prop who took on the Tweed pack.

Amare Milford (Bears) threatened early but when momentum swung away from the Bears, he was unable to get his team back into the contest.

BIG MOMENTS

Intercept king Bailey Simpson

This was the moment momentum shifted and although Simpson was run down by Burleigh’s Saxon Innes, Tweed scored moments later – and then again from a kick off error – to put 12 points quickly on the board.

Harrison hustle

Zane Harrison bustled Bears ace Bailey McConnell as he threatened to snare a Coby Black grubber kick and score. The play by Harrison led to his side winning a 22m restart.

Cooper Bai’s injury

Bears’ Bai was magnificent for Burleigh early, but he suffered an ankle injury a quarter of the way into the game and was missed by his team after that.

Harrison’s try

After a momentum changing run by elite fullback Mason Barber, Harrison threaded his way through retreating Burleigh defence to score under the posts and take the score out to 24-6.

Cory Pearse, middle, with teammates after the Tweed win.

Mind reading Cory Pearse

The Seagulls hooker knew his halfback opposition, Coby Black, so well from their association at Marsden SHS, that Pearse seemed to anticipate an attacking grubber kick by Black. Pearse scooped it up, defusing a dangerous situation early in the game when the Bears were on fire.

Junior Filimaua’s defence

Although Amare Milford was mighty early, across the game this right edge second rower did well in defence across the game.

Scores: Bears 36 (Billy Wellard, Tyson Ploegsma 3, Billy Wellard, Jac Finigan, Zane Harrison, Sam Stephenson tries; Harrison 4 convs) def Bears 12 (Jett Bryce, Coby Black tries; Black 2 conv).