Gold Coast Rugby League 2021: Tugun barometer Kurtis McDonald primed for breakout season
Injury has cruelled this star’s past few seasons, but he looks to be back to his best and that means trouble for rivals. READ THE FULL REPORT
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WE’RE just under two months out from the long-awaited return of the Rugby League Gold Coast season and clubs have just about settled on their playing rosters for 2021.
After perhaps the longest pre-season run in recent memory there are plenty of stories to be told from the training track.
The Bulletin has compiled a comprehensive list of the best pre-season performers at each club, offering a glimpse at what to expect from some fresh and familiar faces ahead of what shapes as a fascinating 2021 season.
TUGUN SEAHAWKS
Lionel Johnson – Front-row / Second-row
In his first year at Tugun, Johnson has already impressed coach Clint Barends and his new teammates. Johnson first hit Barends' radar when he joined Tweed Seagulls’ U20s system a few years ago, and now finds himself at the Seahawks as a manoeuvrable piece able to be played in the middle or on an edge. Johnson has done everything right in pre-season, both on the field and in recovery, and his offloads will be a feature this season according to his new coach.
Kurtis McDonald – Centre
The former Queensland Rangers representative has battled repeat injury setbacks in recent years but it’s so far so good for McDonald.When he’s in the side the Seahawks are a better team – unfortunately that's been too rare an occurrence in years past. Coach Clint Barends says the third-year Seahawk is in “the best shape he’s been in for a long time” and is rubbing his hands at the prospect of a fit and firing McDonald leading the Seahawks this season.
ORMEAU SHEARERS
Jordan Hall – Second-row
Mere weeks into his new life at Ormeau, Hall has embedded himself in the leadership group and brought a vigour to training his teammates have emulated, much to coach Peri Creamer’s delight. Hall joins the Shearers via Auckland, and has spent time in Canterbury’s NRL system as well as with the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Intrust Super Cup. At 27 Hall still has plenty of quality football to offer – and he's already showing the intangible traits that will make him an instant success for his new club.
AJ MaChong – Hooker
Ormeau’s leading man has shed the kilos in the off-season in his quest to become the kind of 80-minute playmaker the Shearers need to go to the next level in 2021. MaChong’s quality as a rake is undisputed, coach Peri Creamer says, but now the number nine is ready to “cause havoc around the ruck”. Another player who, like Hall, leads by example at training, MaChong has led the group of returning players who Creamer says “have unfinished business with the Gold Coast competition”.
Alan White – Halfback
White has come through the Souths Logan system and has been handed the keys to the Shearers’ attack by coach Peri Creamer. The talented PNG product is “one of the fittest guys going” according to his new coach, and has the playmaking ability to match.
Creamer believes White belongs at Intrust Super Cup level and it shouldn’t be too long until the rest of the competition sees what the Ormeau coach does.
BURLEIGH BEARS
Taine Tuaupiki – Fullback / Five-eight
The Coombabah SHS product has come through Burleigh’s Colts system and after being used as a plug-and-play option at multiple outside back positions last season is ready to take the next step under coach Matt Foster.
Tuaupiki has speed to rival Bears ISC fullback Kurtis Rowe, according to Foster, and if he can live up to the expectations of his coach, will be a dangerous weapon for Burleigh this season. Able to play anywhere in the backline, expect Tuaupiki to play predominantly at fullback in 2021.
Conner Toia – Halves
Toia may yet find himself in Burleigh’s ISC squad, such is his quality, but if not then coach Matt Foster will welcome the playmaker with open arms in A-Grade.He’s a Cup-standard starter who impressed in the Bears’ trial against the Gold Coast Titans a few weeks ago and is one of the best guiding hands through the halves on the Coast. He’s fast, has a quality kicking game and the smarts to boot.
Jordan Scott – Hooker
Another who, if not for the player in front of him, would be a likely starter at Cup level. With Pat Politoni – arguably the ISC’s premiere rake for the past half-decade – nailing down the nine, Scott will likely be made available to the Bears’ RLGC A-Grade team. Scott is one of coach Matt Foster’s favourite players and it’s easy to see why: “His tackle technique is fantastic. He makes smart decisions. He’s a 9 that can jump out and attack around the ruck but also deliver the pass to (the halves) when it’s required,” said Foster.
MUDGEERABA REDBACKS
Henare Wells – Fullback
Switched-on Gold Coast footy fans will know the name Henare Wells. The former Burleigh Bears Intrust Super Cup star has joined the Redbacks for 2021 after sitting out last year due to COVID-19. Henare was one of the best young fullbacks in the game on the come-up, playing in both the Roosters and Warriors NRL systems but always positioned behind Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in the pecking order. Henare was at Burleigh when Redbacks coach Wayne Forbes was there and that connection helped bring him to Firth Park. If Henare can hit the highs of years past, the Redbacks will have one of the most damaging fullbacks in the competition at their disposal. He once scored six tries in a single game for Burleigh in the ISC.
Dallas Wells – Five-eight
Also a former Burleigh Bears Intrust Super Cup player, Dallas played two seasons for Burleigh in 2017-18 and joins brother Henare at Mudgeeraba for 2021. The partnership that Dallas and Henare built with such success at Burleigh is something Redbacks coach Wayne Forbes hopes the pair can bring to Firth Park this season. Dallas has a great footy brain and is one of the best controllers of the game in Coast football.
CURRUMBIN EAGLES
Jamie Muller – Middle forward
The “big, barrel chested” former North Devils ISC player has found a home at Currumbin after a few years away from footy and presents as the perfect plug and play option for coach Matt Geyer, who played a season with Muller at Norths a decade ago.
Jarrod Gill – Front-row
Gill gets the chance to captain his boyhood club for the first time after more than two decades at Currumbin and by all accounts is taking it seriously. Gill is “quite capable of going to the next level” says Eagles boss Matt Geyer, “but he’s happy as a tradie, doing his thing, and the Eagles are the beneficiary of that”. The first-year skipper is in career-best shape and, through an ‘actions louder than words’ mentality, is raising the standards at training ahead of Round 1.
Jacob Smith – Centre
Smith looms as onethe best gets of the RLGC off-season if he performs to the level coach Matt Geyer believes he can. The hulking centre is a physical specimen who loves working hard. A butcher by trade, Smith is in the shop by 5am but, even after the long days, he’s always at training and always ready to dig in.
“I’m excited for him this year, to see what he can do,” Geyer said.
“He’s worked hard on his body the past few years and he’s developed into a great specimen of an outside back.
“The way his body is coming along he could even turn himself into a back-rower – a fast back-rower.”
HELENSVALE HORNETS
Ben Kay – Prop / Second-row
A product of the Hornets’ junior program, Kay has quickly established himself as a quiet leader within the Helensvale forward pack. Still in his early 20s, the mobile forward is one of the fittest blokes at the club and brings with him a modern approach to the position, which coach Clinton Toopi says will make him a massive asset to Helensvale in 2021.
Bailey Court – Hooker
Son of club president Wayne Court, Bailey returns to his junior roots after spending time at Burleigh and coach Clinton Toopi is rubbing his hands together at the prospect of the young number nine steering the ship at Helensvale this year. Toopi likened Court to Harry Grant – not as fast but just as skilful – with a “Cam Smith-like mentality”. Time in the Bears’ system has helped shape Court’s game and he’s only impressed his teammates and the coaching staff since returning to the Hornets.
RUNAWAY BAY SEAGULLS
Doryaan Hape Apiata – Prop
“It’s frightening” was how Seagulls boss Nick Gleeson described the off-season transformation of his premiership-winning prop. Hape Apiata has cut 7kg since Runaway Bay’s grand final triumph and was deemed “too fit” to train with the other forwards during pre-season, so he’s been running with the backs. After a strong season in 2020 Hape Apiata attracted interest from a number of Intrust Super Cup clubs, but has chosen to stay loyal to the Seagulls. With his fitter, leaner frame the prop appears poised for his best season yet.
Queille Murray – Wing
One of the unluckiest players in recent seasons, having missed both the Seagulls’ 2018 and 2020 grand final wins due to injury.The towering winger has turned heads in pre-season, and has returned supremely fit after training with a local Aussie rules club as well as the Seagulls in the off-season.
Jamie Anderson – Centre
Widely considered one of the best centres in the competition, Anderson was disappointed by his output in the Seagulls’ 2020 premiership-winning campaign. For the first time ever Anderson is doing extras away from the club, including gym work, and has trimmed down to the point coach Nick Gleeson believes the bustling outside back will return to his best this season.
Cody McLaughlin – Middle forward
McLaughlin came off the bench for coach Nick Gleeson last season, but has been tapped for bigger minutes in 2021. He was the Seagulls’ best in their trial against the PNG Hunters on March 13 and appears set to have another incredible growth year at the Bay. If he can build on the type of form he showed last season, McLaughlin could be one of the breakout players in the RLGC this season.
Editors’ Note: Southport Tigers were contacted multiple times and could not provide comment in time for publication.
Ward’s way the only way in Tav’s Lew Cooper Cup round 7
Taverners under 17 cricket’s round 7 reveal: Gold Coast Dolphins all-rounder takes seven wickets, snares a run out and scores half century in a Player of the Round performance. See who else shone from your club here.
Winner’s directory: 120 Gold Coast Hockey awardees
Big names and rising stars litter the list of over 120 athletes who finished their 2024 club hockey season with a trophy in hand. Discover every award-winner by club, plus the major awards handed out by GCHA: