Burleigh Bears centre Josh Berkers using heroics of 1999 title-winning team as motivation for ISC grand final
BURLEIGH premiership winner Dean Allen says the similarities are “eerie” and grand final-bound centre Josh Berkers is using the Bears’ 1999 heroics as motivation ahead of his own date with Intrust Super Cup destiny.
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BURLEIGH premiership winner Dean Allen says the similarities are “eerie” and grand final-bound centre Josh Berkers is using the Bears’ 1999 heroics as motivation ahead of his own date with Intrust Super Cup destiny.
Twenty years after Allen and his Burleigh teammates beat Redcliffe to secure the state crown, the Bears’ class of 2019 have the chance to write their own chapter in club history when they face Wynnum Manly in tomorrow’s ISC decider.
With this year’s playing strip paying homage to the triumphant Burleigh side of ’99, grand final debutant Berkers plans to give the heroes of yesteryear more reason to celebrate as the Bears chase their fourth cup title.
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“They had an Old Boys’ Day during the year, a reunion of the grand final team (from 1999), and it was an honour to play in front of them. They’ve got a function on before the grand final (tomorrow) so I think it will definitely be motivation to pay respect to those who won 20 years ago,” the 23-year-old, a Bears junior from under-8s, said.
“Growing up, you see and hear about what the seniors are doing and go and watch games. You think ‘holy crap, I don’t think I could ever do that’.
“I’ve been at the club for a long time so it’s extra special to be at the top grade in a grand final. I’m definitely more excited than usual but nerves haven’t kicked in yet.
“I’m just treating it as a normal game so I don’t get overwhelmed. It’s a new game so anything could happen.”
An uncompromising lock forward, Allen was a first-year Burleigh player when the Rick Stone-coached side toppled minor premiers Redcliffe 12-10 in the 1999 grand final at Suncorp Stadium.
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Now 42, he said the players who drove their cup charge shared more than a few similarities with those who will turn out for the Bears at Dolphin Stadium at 3.15pm tomorrow.
“Drisco (CEO Damian Driscoll) has been talking about the synergy of the 1999 and 2019 team. It’s very eerie how similar the two teams are,” Allen, whose two sons play at Burleigh juniors, said.
“(The 1999 game) probably goes down as one of the better and high quality Queensland Cup grand finals. It was an extremely tight game and with a few of the NRL clubs folding, it was a really strong comp that year.
“I think in our team we had 13 players with NRL experience. Redcliffe were the benchmark and we had a pretty good record over them that season, including in the grand final.
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“The biggest advice (for the current players) is just to continue to play the game they’ve played all year. They’re lucky they’ve got the bulk of their team from a couple of years ago (when they won in 2016).
“(Coach) Jimmy Lenihan, Luke Page, Pat Politoni and Jamal Fogarty are still there from a couple of years ago so the other players just need to follow them. Hopefully there’s another good performance from the boys this weekend and we can celebrate together.”
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