Bilambil Jets defeat Southport Tigers 22-16, Daniel Mortimer debuts in Currumbin Eagles win

Bilambil have started their Rugby League Gold Coast season in style with victory on the road against Southport.

BILAMBIL have started their Rugby League Gold Coast season in style with victory on the road against Southport.

Coming off a Round 1 bye, the Jets got the job done 22-16 on Sunday in what was their first win over a side other than Ormeau since 2017.

“We were stoked with it. It was a hot day and tough conditions but we got into the grind well,” said Bilambil captain Mitch Spackman.

“We didn’t finish the game like we would have liked to but the first 60 minutes was promising.”

TWEED COACH FILTHY ABOUT ‘PRETTY CHEAP’ SHOT

The Jets have flown under the radar in the early months of 2019 with a relatively low-profile roster but this result shows they should not be underestimated.

Bilambil Jets captain Mitch Spackman. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We probably don’t have the big names that some other clubs have but just the way that Campo (Kevin Campion) has been coaching in the pre-season, we have really gelled well as a team,” said Spackman, who hailed Jack Welsh as among their best players.

“The whole cliché ‘a champion team beats a team of champions’, I think that is really working in our favour.”

Currumbin, who lost to Southport in Round 1, got off the mark with a 42-24 win up at Ormeau in a game where Eagles marquee recruit Daniel Mortimer made his club debut off the bench.

Daniel Mortimer during his time at Cronulla in 2017. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“He just adds a calmness across the team,” Currumbin coach Ryan Gundry said of the ex-Titan.

“Obviously he hasn’t played since August last year so he’s a little bit underdone. He’s been doing a bit of fitness but there is no fitness like match fitness.”

Gundry was pleased to see his group take a step in the right direction but noted plenty more work is to be done.

“Obviously we’re still a work in progress but we controlled the ball in the first 20 minutes of the game and we were up 18-0,” he said.

“The boys just got a good taste of what they can do when they control the footy and execute so it was positive in that respect.”

On Saturday, Burleigh proved too strong for Runaway Bay in a 32-6 win.