Cudgen Hornets and Tweed Coast Raiders face off in massive NRRRL local derby
When it comes to local derbies, they don’t get much bigger than Cudgen versus Tweed Coast, with friendships even put on hold ahead of this weekend’s big clash.
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It’s just a quick 10-minute drive from Les Burger Field, the home of the Tweed Coast Raiders, to that of their arch rivals the Cudgen Hornets.
And on Sunday you can be sure that there will be plenty of fans in lime green taking the short trip north for Sunday’s clash between the two sides at Ned Byrne Oval, in what is one of the biggest rivalries in the NRRRL.
“They’re one of our closest rivals, so it’s always a big game against Cudgen, that’s for sure,” said Tweed Coast skipper Drew Lanston.
As a Tweed Coast junior, Lanston has had his fair share of clashes with his close rivals, which have brought out plenty of different emotions over the years.
“I’ve definitely had some really good games that have gone down to the wire and then had some bad games where they’re cleaned us up, but the crowd is always really into it. It means a lot to everyone,” he said.
Indeed, players and fans alike are expecting a big turnout on Sunday.
“The crowd gets right into it,” said Lanston. “The Cudgen fans give us some, which is great, and our fans give it back to them when it’s at home as well. It’s all in good fun and we like that rivalry – it makes the game good.”
And given that the clubs are located so close to each other, Lanston says they’re always playing for more than just the two points.
“Because we’re so close on the map, we’re just both really competitive and want to win. I think that’s the biggest thing in itself – bragging rights.”
While Lanston is a dyed-in-the-wool Raider, you don’t have to be a local to understand the rivalry between the two clubs.
Just up the road, in his third season at Cudgen, first grade coach Bryce Poisel knows only too well the meaning that goes into the fixture.
“It’s always tough, they always turn up for us. The last two years we’ve won, but it’s always tough and their boys are always up for it,” said Poisel, who originally hails from southwest Sydney.
“These are the games you want to play, the local derbies.”
Given the close proximity of the two towns, Poisel and Lanston even share the same morning coffee spot – and the Cudgen mentor says he can always tell when it’s derby week.
“I see him at coffee every morning and normally have a five-minute chat to him. But on the day of the game he won’t even talk to me or look me in the eyes, so that’s how much it means to them.”
A ‘hot and cold’ start
Both teams will be coming into the game after an indifferent start to the season.
After four rounds the Raiders have a record of one win, two losses and a bye, however all games have gone down to the wire, with the biggest margin so far just six points.
“We’ve been very good in 15-minute patches and then very bad in 15-minute patches,” says Lanston.
“If we can keep the very good part up for 70-80 minutes we’ll be very happy. We also need to get rid of our lapses, like dropping the ball and giving teams chances to get back into the game.
“We could easily have been three and zero right now if it wasn’t for some silly play. We’ve just been very hot and cold. Very good and very bad.”
It’s a somewhat similar story for Cudgen who, after losing their first two games against competition heavyweights Ballina and Bilambil, seem to have turned a corner with back-to-back wins against Murwillumbah and Byron Bay.
“The first two weeks we played pretty poorly,” said Poisel. “We had a tough start to the draw with Ballina, where we lost on the buzzer, and Bilambil, where we were in the game until the last six minutes. Then Mur’bah we played better and we played well on the weekend in patches. It’s been a tough start.”
Compounding the tough draw has been the injury list, with 10 Hornets out at the moment.
“I’ve coached for a fair few years now and I don’t think I’ve had anything like this,” said Poisel.
“But the boys that I’ve brought up are doing a good job and we’re still winning, so that’s a good sign.”
Given the injury toll, the Hornets have sent out an SOS to prop Shannon Green, who had retired from playing this season to take up a role with the club as a first aid officer as well as an assistant to Poisel.
To add more intrigue to the occasion, the clash will actually be the 30-year-old’s 100th first grade game for Cudgen.
“I actually put the boots away in the rack until last week when we had a few injuries and found out it’d be my 99th game, so I decided to come back and play,” said Green. “So it’ll be great to play 100 games for a really good club.”
A Burleigh Bears junior who spent some time playing in North Queensland before returning to his junior club, Green credits the Hornets with reviving his love for the game after arriving at Cudgen 10 years ago.
“I found the passion back for footy by going to Cudgen to play with mates,” said the 30-year-old.
“Being a part of the Cudgen club has been like a second family, and over the past 10 years I’ve probably gone the long way about getting to 100 games through injuries and suspensions, but I got there in the end,” he added.
“It’d be great to get the milestone with such a good club. It’s been great to be a part of.”
And apart from picking up the win against the local rivals, does Green have any other wishes for his milestone match?
“I wouldn’t mind scoring a meat pie, I haven’t got one of those for a few years,” he laughs.
Cudgen play Tweed Coast at Ned Byrne Oval on Sunday at 2:45
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