Practice what you preach and a footy club’s feud: The Sniper - Gold Coast’s home of sports gossip

The Sniper is back with all your Gold Coast sporting gossip. This week features a Gold Coast footy club’s feud, basketball player movement and a hilarious contradiction. SUBSCRIBE TO READ MORE

The Sniper

3 min read

July 29, 2020 - 7:00AM

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THE Sniper is back with all your Gold Coast sporting gossip.

O PINION: WHY TITANS DON’T NEED TO REACH FOR X FACTOR

AUSSIE RULES

COOLANGATTA Football Club have long held ambitions of being a Gold Coast powerhouse but to date have been held back by circumstances beyond their control.

It’s believed the club is attempting to wrestle back the lease to their sports club which is currently run by outside forces.

Coolangatta have bold plans to complete a near $1 million redevelopment of the club, allowing around 1000 patrons to frequent the facility.

The club also hopes to one day join the QAFL competition.

RLGC TRANSFER CENTRE

BASKETBALL

HE’S already proven his wares at NBL level but the Gold Coast will have to fight to regain Cameron Goldfinch.

Brisbane Bullets player, Cameron Goldfinch with junior basketball players, James Hartley, 11, and Esther Taleni, 9, at the basketball school holiday camp being hosted by the North Gold Coast Seahawks. Picture: Jerad Williams

The North Gold Coast Seahawks junior has switched allegiances for the upcoming QSL season, instead joining the reigning champions the Brisbane Capitals.

Down the highway, the Rollers also appear to have secured the services of a couple former Seahawks, including Tom Howard and Brent Wallace.

NEW ROLLERS COACH ‘QSL THE PERFECT NBL BREEDING GROUND’

SPORT

WHICH coast sporting club has seemingly returned to their winning ways following a mass player exodus at the end of 2019?

Culture issues at the club in question drove a number of senior players to seek out green pastures.

But the departures haven’t had an impact on field as yet, the club returning to their winning ways so far in 2020.

BIZARRE PARTNERSHIP ALLOWING J UNIOR FOOTBALL TO RETURN AMID GLOBAL PANDEMIC

BASEBALL

FORMER Coomera Cubs player Aaron Whitefield has fulfilled every baseball fanatics wildest dream.

The Queenslander has become just the 35th Aussie to play Major League Baseball, suiting up as a pitch runner in Minnesota’s 10-3 loss to Chicago earlier this week.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 26: Nelson Cruz #23 of the Minnesota Twins is congratulated by Aaron Whitefield #58 after hitting a three run home run in the 8th inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 26, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The 23-year-old replaced left fielder Eddie Rosario after he singled on a fly ball with one out in the top of the ninth at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field.

The two-time Helms Award recipient and three-time ABL Championship winner has also shown he is dangerous with the bat and averaged .376 with Adelaide last season.

CLUBBIE CONFIDENTIAL: Surf lifesaving gossip and rumour

FOOTBALL

GOLD Coast football action has been few and far between this year thanks to COVID-19 shutting down local competitions but the Coast is set to soon be inundated with a football feast.

Young football (soccer) players at the Premier Invitational on the Gold Coast, held at Magic United and All Saints fields. Picture: EAST END DIGITAL

The Premier Invitational competition is set to return in the September school holidays and registrations are filling up fast.

Launched in 2012 by Magic United, the invitational is expecting upwards of 2000 players to flood the Gold Coast, with international teams obviously unable to attend.

The festival is set to host more age groups than ever before and organisers also have plans to leverage the event to welcome big name European Clubs as the Surf City Cup continues to evolve.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: EVERY GCPL COACH’S TEAM OF THE DECADE

AUSTRALIAN RULES

THE Byron Magpies are employing some interesting training tactics as they aim for Northern Rivers domination.

This week at training, Magpies players were spotted in blindfolds working on their communication and trust.

Players paired up and head to lead their partner across the ground, navigating a handful of hurdles while barking instructions at the blindfolded player.

We’ll soon see whether it pays off!

‘I WAS PANICKING’: NEAR DEATH AT SURGEON’S TABLE

SURF LIFESAVING

NORTHCLIFFE ironman Matt Bevilacqua appeared on Australian Ninja Warrior on Sunday night and the Sniper has a bold prediction to make.

For a man who so staunchly opposed the Iron X concept, which saw sure lifesaving mixed in with stand up paddle boarding and cross-fit style beach battlegrounds, could Bevilacqua’s ninja ambitions signal a change of heart?