Currumbin Eagles captain Phil Ramage and coach Ryan Gundry on youth coming through the club
Their Rugby League Gold Coast title rivals have made a series of marquee signings but Currumbin are happy to keep a low profile as they back their emerging talent.
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THEIR Rugby League Gold Coast title rivals have made a series of marquee signings but Currumbin are happy to keep a low profile as they back their emerging talent.
The Eagles had a remarkable 2018 season, clinching the A-grade, reserve grade and under-19 minor premierships. While they could only convert that feat into a sole title for their youngest senior side, the Eagles are upbeat about the new season.
Captain Phil Ramage cut an emotional figure after their top team were bundled out in straight sets last September but the 35-year-old can’t wait to be back on the field leading a youthful outfit.
“I think it has made the boys hungrier and we have trained very well in the pre-season,” he said of the preliminary final loss to Tweed.
Experienced figures Dayne Weston, Blake Morrison, Hayden Allsop, Reece Worboys and Michael Burgess have all hung up the boots and the likes of young back-rower Matt Munckton are the new generation of Eagles A-graders.
“Because of how our under-19s went last year and pushing into 20s, I think we will be seeing a lot of them stepping up which is good signs,” Ramage said.
“For a club to hang around in the top five, you need your juniors to be pushing through. You can’t be buying players every year because it just doesn’t work, it’s not sustainable.
“We have seen a lot of the young boys are filling out into men now. They won the premiership last year and it’s their time to step up.
“Probably out of all of the juniors, Matt Munckton is the one who has impressed me the most. He has definitely put in during pre-season and he has been hitting the gym as well so he has filled out.”
Tugun have firmed as title contenders after adding players including Josh Harvey, Sam Meskell and Jacob Grant while Burleigh have been bolstered by recruits such as Oliver Percy, Sam Saville and Conner Toia.
Nonetheless, Ramage believes the Eagles can again contend for silverware.
“The main thing is to get into the top five and make the semi-finals but going off last year’s season and also with our juniors coming through, I think we will be there or thereabouts,” he said.
Currumbin won a trial match against Lismore last weekend and will host Burleigh on Sunday in one last pre-season contest.
In addition to Munckton, coach Ryan Gundry believes Cooper Hennessey, Bayley Desmond and Jake Smith will be among the contributors, not to mention returning juniors Bayley Gill and Jack Peacock.
“They see Currumbin as a place they want to come back and push themselves and go to the next level of being a force in the senior Gold Coast competition,” Gundry said.
While the Eagles have a feeder agreement in place with Tweed, Gundry said external recruiting in the off-season has come from places like the Whitsundays region rather than from rival Gold Coast clubs.
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