‘Going better than last year’: Ballina Seagulls issue NRRRL warning

After winning just two of their first seven games, Ballina has stormed back into form in the NRRRL. Find out what is behind the turnaround.

Ballina has bounced back from a difficult start to the season. Picture: DC Sports Photography

At the beginning of the season there were a few curious glances thrown towards Ballina.

Normally a picture of consistency who many tipped to be the team to beat once again, especially following the signing of former NRL star and Ballina junior Tyrone Roberts, the defending premiers got off to a tough start to their title defence.

Kicking off the season with a tight 26-20 defeat to big improvers Marist Brothers, the Seagulls only managed to win one of their opening four games to sit well outside the NRRRL top six.

And while Ballina knocked off Byron Bay in round five, the patchy start continued as the team sat in the uncharacteristic position of having won just two of its first seven games of the season.

Although some might have started to question whether they were still contenders, since the round eight draw with Murwillumbah everything has gone in one direction, with the Seagulls having won six in a row to become one of the form teams of the competition and surge into third place on the ladder.

Ballina has now won six in a row. Picture: DC Sports Photography

“I think earlier in the year I said we’d click around round six or eight and that’s kind of how it’s ended up,” said coach Greg Barnes.

“We’ve been really connected, everyone’s been on the same page. Losing eight from last year was going to take time, especially with new halves and new combinations, but it’s been working really well.

“We’re racking up some points, our four and against is outstanding so I’m happy with how we’re travelling.”

Indeed, for Barnes, a big factor behind the early season rustiness was just the sheer turnover of players.

Young forwards Will Bates and Tom Summer headed south to try their luck in NRL junior rep systems, playmaker Hamish McClintock moved to the UK for a year, Jared Lofts injured his shoulder in pre-season and experienced players Ben Mathiou and Rhys Riches stepped away from the club.

And while they might have lost four of their opening six, the coach said it was hardly cause for panic as Ballina went down to some of the competition heavyweights like Cudgen, Marist Brothers, Casino and Evans Head by margins of just four (twice), six and 10.

“In three of the four we lost we scored the same amount of tries so I wasn’t really concerned,” said Barnes.

“Casino scored two more tries than us and we didn’t kick goals, we were a little bit off that day (lost 22-12), but it was just a few little things, a few one per centers, a few dropped balls at crucial parts of the game – there was nothing to get really concerned about.

“The only difference was last year we were winning those games by two, four and six points and this year we were losing them at the start.”

Tyrone Roberts has been outstanding for the Seagulls. Picture: DC Sports Photography

But just as Barnes thought at the beginning of the year, come round eight, things started to click and the team now has the second-longest current winning streak in the competition, behind Marist Brothers’ nine-straight victories.

Over the past six games the team has scored 196 points and conceded just 76, at an average scoreline of 33-13.

“We’ve come up against the likes of Bilambil and put in a really good performance against them, other teams have been pushing us but we’ve got it together and those one per-centers have now been fixed: high-completion rates, defensively very good, fitness levels through the roof,” said Barnes.

And as the team prepares for a big couple of weeks that features sixth-placed Murwillumbah and second-placed Marist Brothers in the lead-up to the finals, the coach feels the team is in a place that should worry its rivals.

“I couldn’t be happier with how we’re travelling,” said Barnes. “I think we’re going better than where we were this time last year, to be honest.”