Burleigh bracing for NRL raid following premiership-winning Intrust Super Cup campaign

BURLEIGH are bracing for a recruitment raid on their premiership-winning side as NRL clubs circle the newly-crowned Intrust Super Cup kings.

BURLEIGH coach Jim Lenihan admits his premiership-winning side could be ripped apart next season as NRL clubs circle the newly-crowned Intrust Super Cup kings.

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With the pain still lingering from Sunday’s last-gasp loss to Newtown in the NRL State Championship, the Bears could now become a victim of their own success with some of Australia’s biggest clubs eyeing their top talent.

The Bulletin understands five-eighth Dylan Phythian, who was man of the match in the preliminary final win over Sunshine Coast, and winger Tyronne Roberts-Davis have already attracted interest from NRL clubs.

BURLEIGH CLASS OF 2019 AMONG CLUB’S GREATEST - LENIHAN

Fullback Kurtis Rowe and halfback Jamal Fogarty are also likely to be high on the hit-list after playing pivotal roles in Burleigh’s grand final triumph over Wynnum Manly on September 29.

All four men have previous NRL experience and Lenihan said he was preparing for some player movement after his 2016 squad was decimated in the wake of their ISC success.

Burleigh halfback Jamal Fogarty in action against Newtown in the NRL State Championship on Sunday. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

“I think that’s where we sit in the football landscape, we’re a stepping stone for players to go into a full-time system,” Lenihan said.

“If they do get an opportunity, I think that’s wonderful. It would be nice to keep everyone but generally when a little bit of success comes your way it means players will get noticed.

“It does (make it hard) but until something totally changes you just try to keep things rolling in one direction.

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“It sort of happened a little bit in 2016 … and it’s hard to replace those blokes really quickly because they don’t come along every day.

“But again, that’s where we sit in the football world.”

Former Australian Schoolboys star Fogarty earned two NRL appearances for the Titans in 2017 after steering Burleigh to the ISC crown the previous year.

A dejected Kurtis Rowe after Burleigh’s loss to Newtown. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

The 25-year-old underlined his class to win this year’s Petero Civoniceva Medal as the ISC’s best player and was again a standout in the heartbreaking 20-14 loss to Newtown.

“Jamal certainly deserves an opportunity,” Lenihan said.

“At the moment, the system rewards players with potential and Jamal has always had potential but he’s worked through it and he’s ready to play some full-time first-grade footy. He’s always had the natural ability but now he has the defence and game management.

BULLETIN’S ISC GRAND FINAL PLAYER RATINGS

“Jamal is cherry-ripe to go into a full-time system and really make a difference to any top 30 squad. I think half our group could easily fit into the bottom half of a 30-man (NRL) group.

“Hopefully some of them get an opportunity because they deserve it.”

BEARS ON NRL RADAR

■ Kurtis Rowe (fullback) - 8 NRL games for Wests in 2014

■ Tyronne Roberts-Davis (wing) - 7 NRL games for Titans in 2017-18

■ Dylan Phythian (five-eighth) - 3 NRL games for Newcastle in 2016-17

■ Jamal Fogarty (halfback) - 2 NRL games for Titans in 2017