Top players, big moments from Gold Coast and District Rugby Union Round 1

A club champion received the most tense of coaching debuts, a flyer makes his mark at his new club. FOLLOW THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM GOLD COAST RUGBY UNION ROUND 1 HERE >>

With the game hanging in the balance, and the weight of pressure on his shoulders, Knights fly-half Callum Brown stepped up and piloted his side to a thrilling triumph.

And his coach, Shaun Cole, has sent a warning out to the rest of the Gold Coast Rugby Union: they had barely scratched the surface of what he could do.

Brown will get his first extended run in the Griffith A-grade side this year, and his late penalty goal to snatch an 8-7 victory from Bond Pirates highlighted his composure.

MORE GOLD COAST SPORT

NRL stars collide, new forces aim to rise: Breaking down RLGC Round 1

‘F--k knows’: Big money wars have Coast footy heads concerned

Three teams in 12 hours: Sharks star’s odd Sunday in Melbourne

Willing to take on the line, and equipped with a strong long kicking game, the play maker marshalled his side with aplomb in what was a bruising affair between the two outfit.

Cole, in his first game as head coach of the Knights, said there were areas in his game they would continue to fine tune as the season wore on.

But he said after Brown had bided his time for the past five years in the lower ranks he was ready to assume the duties that came with the number 10 jumper.

Griffith Knights players grind out a tense one point win over Bond. Picture Mike Batterham

“This is his first real crack at first-grade I suppose and I thought he was good without being great. But obviously, the happy thing is that he could step up in that pressure moment,” Cole said.

“He got that kick and then got us home in the last couple of minutes, so hats off to Cal and he’ll only get better as well. He’s got all the skills, he just needs to get the confidence of being a first-grader full-time really.

”He was a little bit nervous here and there, but he’s getting old and he’s getting more confident in his own skills which is the main thing that we want from him.”

Cole has picked up the top side’s clipboard for the first time in 2022, having played in the Griffith colours for 14 years.

Many of the men currently within the Knights ranks have played alongside Cole in the past, Brown included, before injury ended the two-time premiership winner’s time on the field.

Two bulging discs in his neck cruelled any chance of him continuing, and the victorious mentor admits he does not know what he would do without if he was not involved with the club.

Now taking the reigns with the Knights, and long-time mentor Graham Herlihy in his corner, Cole said it was a progression which had been discussed well before he took on the job.

“I just have been here so long; I love the place and didn’t want to leave, I don’t know what I’d do if it wasn’t down here,” he said.

“It was a natural progression to step in, back in probably 2017 when Graham was coach we had a plan to one day step into first-grade. It happened a little bit sooner than expected.

“Graham came on as coach and pretty much turned this club around. He’s turned us into the team we are today, and me and Graham have always had that (close) relationship and it’s continued to now.”

PIRATE BRAVE IN DEFEAT

This was a contest epitomised by defence.

It took until the dying stages of the opening half for points to at last be scored, after a Bond yellow card immediately led to Knights flanker Harrison Cumming charging over from the back of a maul.

However with the conversion miraculously charged down, the game remained on a knife’s edge well beyond the opening try.

Hit after hit, blow after blow, the two sides threw themselves at each other, before Pirates fly-half Lepau Feau got the Pirates on the board.

Feau’s converted try stole the lead, a just reward for a leading display where his deft passing game and willingness to challenge the defensive line constantly posing a threat.

Tough goal line defence was a shared trait between both Griffith and Bond. Picture Mike Batterham

A classy step on the inside of a would-be defender enabled him to glide over the line, however from there the game took an even more palpable turn.

A Knights player was sent from the field at the back end of the game for a late and aggressive hit after a Bond clearance kick, but still the defending champions held firm.

Having defied a series of Pirate raids on their line, Griffith were able to charge up field an draw a penalty, which Brown slotted with ease to clinch the win.

But despite sealing a gutsy win, Cole said he would be drilling greater discipline into his squad throughout the week.

“Our discipline was shocking, so that’d be a huge one this week,” he said.

“It’s more a standards, so having the standards that we set out, and that being followed through at training, in pre-game and after the game.

“That’s what we’ve got to be all about, we’ll work on it — trust me.”

BULLS VS EAGLES: FLYER’S HAT-TRICK STEALS THE SHOW

As the Gold Coast Eagles looked to return to the winner’s circle after a 2021 season without featuring there, a Nerang winger had other ideas.

Bulls flyer Logan Watene stole the show in his side’s 44-7 triumph, with his three conversions taking his personal points haul to 21 for the match.

It was his first appearance for Nerang after being a part of the Helensvale Hogs grand final side last year.

Logan Watene, pictured playing for Helensvale last year, shone in his Nerang debut. Pic Mike Batterham

Watene was joined on the Nerang tryscorers sheet by fullback William Bird, hooker Liam Cordell and interchange men Kyle Turei and Bryson Rukuwai, while Eagles winger Brad Gordon scored the only try for the Gold Coast.

SURFERS DOLPHINS VS COOMERA CRUSHERS: MATCH CANCELLED

Originally published as Top players, big moments from Gold Coast and District Rugby Union Round 1