Grief turns to glory as Eagles break hoodoo for mourning coach

Grieving coach Syd Malietoa was laid low by the death of his father - then his Gold Coast Eagles players lifted him to their first win over Griffith Uni Colleges Knights in eight years, delivering a tribute he’ll never forget.

The late Mauinatu Ekuaki Malietoa and his son, Syd Malietoa. Picture: Supplied

“This one’s for you, coach.”

That was the emotional message relayed to grieving Gold Coast Eagles coach Syd Malietoa after his players stunned Griffith Uni Colleges Knights on Saturday, days after Malietoa laid his father to rest.

The coach had been away from his team for the previous fortnight, in mourning and guiding funeral proceedings for dad Mauinatu Ekuaki Malietoa following the 77-year-old’s sudden death last month.

Fuelled by their desire to honour their grieving coach, the Eagles snapped a four-game losing streak to defeat the mighty Knights 13-10 with a penalty goal after the siren.

It was the club’s first win over that opposition in 21 attempts, stretching back to July 9, 2016.

Tied at 10-all when the final hooter rang, fly-half Tyler Wright converted a wide penalty goal to stun the Knights two minutes into final play.

In shades of Queensland’s State of Origin victory over New South Wales, where the Maroons lifted beyond themselves to honour Cameron Munster’s father Steven, the Eagles had done the same for Malietoa.

“I’m proud. I’m very proud,” their emotional coach said.

“Our leadership group met last Sunday to reset and realign our goals as a squad.

“We had the funeral service on Monday and his burial was Wednesday and a lot of the boys reached out to me and just said this one’s for you, coach.

“It was very emotional. Our group of men, we have a very tightknit group. Yes we have rugby but it’s about that brotherhood, that family mentality.

“As it says in Romans (8:31, in the Bible): “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

“I take my hat off to the boys. I love this group a lot, with all my heart. They’re a good bunch of young men and heading into a new week the belief is there.

“We played the full 82 minutes (against Colleges) and I’m starting to realise the potential that we have.

“We’ve had consecutive losses but the boys have been training really hard. Saturday was just that belief and reward for them.”

Malietoa was rocked by the death of his father, who died of diabetic complications on June 26.

Malietoa Sr had been in otherwise fine health but suffered a downward spiral which triggered a heart attack 48 hours before Colleges defeated Eagles 22-0 in their last meeting.

Powered by faith and a desire to pay tribute to the Malietoa clan - one of four Samoan paramount chiefly lines tracing back to the 13th century - the Eagles flipped that script in a GCDRU ambush the club will remember for years to come.

“He had a pretty good innings but it was very sudden,” Malietoa said of his father’s passing.

“We thought he was going to be around for a few more years yet.

“He was sick with type two diabetes but he was managing it pretty good.

“Things went downwards very fast and he ended up having a heart attack on the way to the hospital.

“About 12 hours later he passed away, so I’ve actually been away from the boys for the last three weeks.

“It’s been pretty special, because he’s of royal bloodline, my father, he’s not just a little person, hence the surname Malietoa.

“I’m not going to lie, I miss the old fella. He was someone that held the family together. Everything was about family, which is kind of what we’ve set up at the Eagles as well.

“A lot of guys who have come to the club don’t have families or friends here so we’ve made the club into a family.”

Malietoa hopes this win can spearhead a late season revival to clinch a finals berth.

Eagles sit sixth on the ladder, 13 competition points behind Helensvale, with five matches and a bye still to play.

Coomera Crushers’ own bid for a slice of club history fell agonisingly short when Bond Pirates prevailed 27-25 in front of its own Ladies Day crowd at Pizzey Park.

Hinterland Celtics bared its teeth in attack in a high-scoring loss to Helensvale, 38-50, at Bill Norris Oval.

It was the second time this season the GCDRU’s new kids on the block have scored 38 points, their club record.

Surfers Paradise brought up its fifth-straight win, 41-20, at Palm Beach Currumbin.

In the Hospital Cup, a brace of tries from fullback Tai Dowling and a walk-off penalty goal from fly-half Luke DePiazzi delivered Bond University to a thrilling victory on the club’s Ladies Day.

Bond had led by 14 points with 20 minutes to play but were reeled in by the Hospital Cup’s ladder leaders to tie with 150 seconds remaining.

Bond reclaimed its ball from the restart and was awarded a penalty which DePiazzi converted to seal the win.

Bond’s assault on the Hospital Cup finals has begun in earnest with victory over Brothers shifting the Gold Coast side into fourth place.

The defeat cost Brothers, who slipped into second after Wests’ big win over likely wooden spooners Sunnybank.

Fullback Dowling’s two tries before the break followed a fine intercept try from rising star winger Rocco Gollings.

The Nudgee College product channelled his old man, former England rugby sevens superstar Ben, with a perfectly read intercept try to open proceedings.

Returning Reds forward George Blake was destructive while lock Dylan Rowe also left a big mark on the fixture.

Halfback Liam Daniela scored a highlight reel try after sidestepping the fullback to score between the posts off a Blake bust.