Gold Coast District Rugby Draw 2020 revealed

Local derbies, grudge matches and playoff repeats: here are the five Gold Coast Rugby blockbusters we’re most excited for as the GCDRU 2020 season draw is revealed.

After yesterday’s GCDRU draw reveal, here are five blockbuster clashes we’re excited for in the 2020 Gold Coast rugby season.

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Captains Hayden McCaa (Helensvale Hogs) and Jaye Paton (Griffith University Colleges Knights) will face off again in round one. Picture Glenn Hampson

1. HOGS V KNIGHTS, ROUND ONE

Local rugby fans won’t have long to wait to see if the 2019’s Grand Final magic will repeat with a Round One rematch.

Helensvale and Colleges played out one of the most incredible deciders in GCDRU history, with fiery tempers and foul play providing a spicy backdrop to the Hogs miraculous come from behind victory.

The Knights will be out for revenge and Helensvale will delight in rubbing salt in the wound of a third grand final loss in four seasons.

Coomera Crushers Coaching staff, Clinton Marama, Glenn Olsen, James Askew, Tiger Lama and Callum Dell. Picture: Jerad Williams

2. CRUSHERS V ALLEYGATORS, ROUND ONE

The other stellar match-up of Round One pits the two new entrants into first grade head-to-head.

Coomera Crushers will return for the first time since 2011 while Alleygators return from a one-season absence.

Emotions will run high for both teams as they hunt a first grade win to move past the torments of seasons past.

2008 Rugby Union grand final between Surfers Paradise and PBC. PBC player Tom Williams with ball

3. ALLEYGATORS V DOLPHINS, ROUND 13

One of the Coast’s fiercest rivalries could end up determining who makes the finals.

Palm Beach Currumbin and Surfers will play out the penultimate round of competition with a grudge match at Surfers’ renovated facilities on 25 July.

The Gold Coast Bulletin’s records indicate the sides are split on 11 first grade Premierships apiece since 1978.

A Round 13 clash might reveal which club is closest to winning their 12th.

Surfers Paradise Dolphins on the attack against Gold Coast Eagles. Picture: Kim Hawkins-Brady

4. DOLPHINS V EAGLES, ROUND THREE

The two oldest clubs on the Coast will go head to head in Round Three and Round 10, but it’s the earlier edition we’ll be most excited more.

Where there is history there is passion, and for the Eagles there is no greater rivalry than the central GC derby.

A win over an old foe will set both club’s on the right path to 2020.

Round 12 2017 Gold Coast District Rugby Union match between Colleges Knights and Bond Pirates. Colleges Knights player No10 Sam Cox Bond Pirates player No5 Blake Martin. Picture Mike Batterham

5. PIRATES V KNIGHTS, ROUND FIVE

103, 116, 43, 53.

These aren’t the secret codes to a nuclear launch facility but the scoreboard readings of the Knights’ last four winning margins over Bond Pirates.

Can the Pirates show more fight in 2020? Round Five will reveal all.

And if the answer is no, at least there will be some fireworks to watch from the sidelines.