With all four matches of the Rugby League Gold Coast’s first round played at Tugun, we take a look at the top players from each side.

BURLEIGH BEARS 20 (Allan Lockwood, Blake Campbell, Reece McKenzie-O’Brien, Kurtis Rowe tries; Reece McKenzie-O’Brien two goals) def. SOUTHPORT TIGERS 18 (Sione Katoa 2, Zane Harris tries; Jaman Rio 2, Zane Harris goals)

Burleigh Bears: Jayden Sharp — Lock

In an inspired performance through the middle, Jayden Sharp was the defensive linchpin who epitomised the Bears performance.

In a 71 minute stint, it was Sharp’s bruising hits off the ball that galvanised his team.

Time after time he was the first man on the hit, backed by an onslaught of other Burleigh defenders, to force the ball loose from the Tigers while defending their line.

He was equally damaging with ball in hand, while his passing game in the middle provided time for his halves to give their outside men room to work with.

Bears coach Matt Foster was full of praise post-game for the way in which Sharp has overcome countless injury setbacks, namely two knee reconstructions, to become a telling factor in his side’s quest to defend their title.

Southport Tigers: Zane Harris — Halfback

The Southport halfback mixed up his game brilliantly while playing alongside former Titan Greg Bird.

The tall number seven backed his running game throughout the contest, rewarded with a gutsy try which included a classy dummy and slick step to almost completely evade the Bears’ defence.

While Bird took over most of the kicking duties, when Harris picked his moments he forced Burleigh deep in their own end and made life difficult for the defending champions in dragging their way out of the danger zone.

Burleigh Bears: Kurtis Rowe — Fullback

In what proved to be the decisive try, Kurtis Rowe showed the class which has made him Burleigh’s all-time leading Queensland Cup tryscorer.

The Bears fullback’s support play on a late offload gave him the narrowest of channels to work with, and it did not stop him diving into the corner for a brilliant finish.

His strong carries and play making for his outside men also stood out, setting up a first half try while providing plenty of half-breaks for his teammates.

While he been unseated of his state-level number one jersey to young gun Taine Tuaupiki, Foster backed Rowe to ensure the battle for the top job between the pair continued throughout the campaign.

Southport Tigers: Denzal Ngati — Prop

While new recruit Sione Katoa dominated at hooker with two tries, it was Denzal Ngati’s influence off the bench that gave the former Bulldog his chance to shine.

Whenever the damaging bookend took a hit-up, several Burleigh defenders were needed to take him down.

His charges through the middle were crucial in Southport fighting back into the contest, and the momentum which came with those carries set up a grandstand finish between the two competition heavyweights.

ORMEAU SHEARERS 42 (James Tutiula 2, Issac Luke 2, Blaid Pakura, Anthony Setu, Jack Rogers tries; Jack Rogers 7 goals) def HELENSVALE HORNETS 10 (Benjamin Kelly, Kyle Ferguson tries; Campbell Pirihi goal)

Ormeau Shearers: Issac Luke — Hooker

He came to the reborn Shearers as their marquee man, and Issac Luke showcased every bit of his worth against Helensvale.

The former Kiwi international and South Sydney Rabbitohs legend scored two tries and set up another in a dominant display out of dummy-half, demonstrating the class which made him an NRL star for more than a decade.

Luke masterfully commanded his forward pack, and their go forward was relentless as a result.

Helensvale Hornets: Jay Blazek — Lock

Even in a well beaten Helensvale outfit, Jay Blazek never relented.

In a tireless effort, the young lock justified Hornets coach Clinton Toopi’s faith in him as he refused to take a backwards step against a dominant Ormeau pack.

Frequently he was able to shrug off several defenders and drove his side into strong field position, only for fundamental errors to cost them.

Blazek was the heart and soul of any resistance the Hornets put up, and after Toopi labelled him one of the young guns of the future he will only get better working alongside former Cronulla Sharks premiership winner Sam Tagatease.

Ormeau Shearers: James Tutuila — Prop

Whenever Issac Luke needed a man to run off his shoulder, James Tutiula was there. And he was rewarded for his efforts with a brace of tries within the opening half an hour.

With each carry, the big man took plenty of stopping, and twice the Hornets defence was unable to prevent the barnstorming prop from finding his way to the line.

A former Souths Logan Magpies Queensland Cup representative, Tutuila showed enough to suggest he will be a constant force for the Shearers engine room throughout 2022.

Helensvale Hornets: Benjamin Kelly — Centre

He rarely got the chance to strut his stuff as a heap of errors hindered the Hornets, but whenever he did Benjamin Kelly was a true test for the Shearers defence.

The centre scored his side’s opening try to level the scores in the first half, and after an intercept right on his own try line came within a whisker of scoring down the other end.

It took a sublime chance from Ormeau to deny him in the corner, but while he missed out on that occasion his damaging runs gave Helensvale every chance to stay in the fight.

RUNAWAY BAY SEAGULLS 20 (Tyler Han 2, Aaron Booth, Matthew Jesse tries; Queille Murray two goals) def. CURRUMBIN EAGLES 4 (Bayley Desmond try)

Runaway Bay Seagulls: Tyler Han — Fullback

When Runaway Bay looked at their most threatening, it was when Tyler Han had the ball in hand.

The Seagulls fullback’s step posed a constant challenge for the Currumbin defence, as he evaded tackles and created overlap chances for his teammates.

He was justly rewarded with two tries for his efforts, with his dummy pass and step for his first particularly eye-catching.

While there were a couple of errors in his game, each came with a desire to up the tempo of the contest and keep Currumbin on the back foot constantly.

When he got it right, there was no stopping him.

Currumbin Eagles: Tyler Creecy — Hooker

Coming off the bench in rotation with starting hooker Jakob Schimke, Tyler Creecy sort to swing momentum back in the Eagles favour.

While diminutive in stature, the rake caused headaches around the ruck for the Seagulls with several darting runs out of dummy-half, as he constantly shrugged off would-be tacklers through his speed alone.

The result may not have gone their way, but Currumbin coach Matt Geyer can take solace in the fact he has a damaging number nine duo who will only find extra gears as the season wears on.

Runaway Bay Seagulls: Aaron Booth — Halfback

A series of tough runs, deft touches with the boot and a try to show for his efforts. Seagulls halfback Aaron Booth had this game on a string.

Booth’s support play following a break down the right hand side rewarded him with his first try of the season, while his kicking game constantly pinned the Eagles down their own end.

Never did he appear rushed or flustered as the defence honed in on him, and his guts in taking the line on would have earned plenty of admirers.

Currumbin Eagles: Benjamin Willets — Fullback

Despite constantly being put under pressure by the Runaway Bay kick chase, Currumbin custodian Benjamin Willets continued to step up to the plate.

His strong running game was a theme throughout the contest, while his safe hands faced with an army of chasers and a menacing kicking game from the Seagulls kept his side alive.

Willets had several close chances to score, only for desperate goal line defence to hold him up over the line.

TUGUN SEAHAWKS 22 (Samiu Latu 2; Matthew Koellner tries; Michael Burgess 5 goals) def. MUDGEERABA REDBACKS 20 (Joshua Bukowski 2, Michael Tiopira, Jesse Malcomn tries; John Taia 2 goals)

Tugun Seahawks: Samiu Latu — Wing

This man is a powerhouse on the wing.

Samiu Latu was a nightmare for his opposite number to contend with, regularly taking several defenders to stop.

When only one man stood in his path, the Tugun flyer ran straight over the top of them. His first try came from a Redbacks communication error on a kick, but still required a sensational put down in the corner. His second was just by pure brute force.

Mudgreeaba Redbacks: Jesse Malcolm — Prop

When the going got tough for the Redbacks, Jesse Malcolm stood tall.

The Mudgeeraba prop was crucial as his side mounted a comeback against Tugun to set up the most palpable finish of the afternoon.

First it was his late offload after a half-break through the line which led to a try in the corner. Then he did it all himself, barging over under the sticks to get his team within two points.

Despite Tugun’s early ascendancy, Malcolm never took a backwards step and his determination eventually drew Mudgeeraba back into the contest.

Tugun Seahawks: Zac Beecher — Fullback

He was identified by coach Clint Barends as a man to keep an eye on this season, and Zac Beecher took on that mantle resoundingly.

The Tugun fullback was the 2021 competition’s third leading tryscorer, and while he did not add to his tally on Sunday his fearless running game paved the way for others to do so.

After spending most of last season on the wing, Beecher seemed to do enough to ensure he retained the number one jumper, with his support play off halves Michael Burgess and Keanu Te Kiri particularly impressive.

Mudgeeraba Redbacks: Joshua Bukowski — Wing

This man can finish a try.

Redbacks winger Joshua Bukowski’s two brilliant finishes began the comeback mission for Mudgeeraba, while his tough carries under pressure got the ball rolling for his forwards.

His second half acrobatics to score his second try for the afternoon was a special highlight in the clash, and was ultimately what gave his team a sniff of the win.

Extra marks given after he, only moments earlier, attempted the same feat only for desperate defence to deny him.

nick.wright@news.com.au