Mitchell Watson scores hat-trick as Burleigh Bears smash Helensvale Hornets 46-14

Aerial heroics from Mitch Watson helped Burleigh bury the Hornets again, as the flying winger’s hat-trick and metre-eating returns sparked a 46-point blitz at Pizzey Park.

Mitchell Watson for Western Clydesdales against Devils in Hostplus Cup rugby league round 20 at Clive Berghofer Stadium, Saturday, August 5, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

An aerial clinic from Burleigh half Matt Egan and Jumpin’ Jack Flash winger Mitchell Watson lit the fuse on a Burleigh points explosion that swept aside Helensvale for the second straight fixture.

Suspended Hornets coach Andrew Grills declared the Bears would feel the wrath of his side after a controversial Round 1 defeat at Pizzey Park but two early scores to Watson sent Helensvale scurrying for the bomb shelter in a 46-14 defeat.

Former Toowoomba Clydesdales flyer Watson is listed at a generous 191cm on his Queensland Rugby League player profile but played to his reported height when twice soaring over his opposite number to bring down Egan bombs for tries.

Watson scored 18 tries in 17 games for the Toowoomba state league team in 2023 but has featured just eight times for Burleigh at that level since trading the Darling Downs for the Glitter Strip in 2024.

Cup coach Luke Burt was given plenty to think about as Watson sealed his man of the match performance with a hat-trick try and a truckload of running metres.

With Watson’s kick returns leading the charge Burleigh outgained the competition’s northernmost club 1230m to 620m.

“Mitch Watson was outstanding,” Burleigh A Grade coach Matt Foster said.

“His first two tries came off good exit completions for us and then we put a little bomb in the corner and he out-competed his opposite number, got over the top and caught the ball over the line.

“The third was a good finish in the corner, but he got the player’s man of the match and the coaches’ because his carries were outstanding.

“He’d be about six-foot (181cm) so nothing crazy out of the ordinary with his height. He just times his attack on the ball really well and got over the top of their winger.”

Foster said the fiery aftermath to their season-opener, which saw Helensvale’s coach suspended for criticising the referee, played no part in his pre-game speech - but that didn’t mean his Bears had forgotten the slight.

“I get the feeling that the players were aware of those comments from our previous meeting but we didn’t really draw on it,” he said.

“We had a couple of injuries and unavailabilities ourselves so we had to manage our plan and the boys really stepped up and dug in.”

The Hornets have been the Gold Coast’s worst second half performers so far this season but bucked that trend by growing into the game in an encouraging sign for the club’s premiership ambitions.

Captain Campbell Pirihi notched a double as halfback Blake Goodman again showed why the club was excited to recruit him from Sydney.

Tugun’s spine reshuffle, sending No.7 Jaman Rio to fullback and bringing Kyle Williams onto the front line, was rewarded with a brace of tries to Williams as the Seahawks overran Runaway Bay 30-12.

Currumbin forced 13 tries through the defence of Southport in a 62-10 victory.