RLGC Team of the Decade: Tugun coach Clint Barends picks his 13

Narrowing down a decade of players into one team was a difficult task and some brilliant players were left in the scrapheap, Barends said.

Tugun Seahawks coach Clint Barends, for the 2019 Rugby League Gold Coast season. Picture: Jerad Williams

TUGUN Seahawks head coach Clint Barends has selected his Gold Coast A Grade team of the decade.

Narrowing down a decade of players into one team was a difficult task and some brilliant players were left in the scrapheap, Barends said.

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“A few scraped in on longevity but I tried to pick that (quality).

Tugun Seahawks coach Clint Barends, for the 2019 Rugby League Gold Coast season. Picture: Jerad Williams

“There have been some good players in the comp like Preston Campbell, Mortimer and them, but I felt the way I picked was guys who played at least three seasons.

“I don’t get to watch week-in, week-out, but I do see some dangerous blokes.”

Barends selected five players from the Seahawks but only coached three of them in his three years in charge.

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1. COREY MORRIS - TUGUN SEAHAWKS

Round 13 Rugby League Gold Coast match between Southport and Tugun at Owen Park. Tugun Player Corey Morris. Pic Mike Batterham

“It’s mostly his longevity, for what he’s been able to do over a long period of time.

“He’s close to our best every week and when I coached against him he was one to watch.

“I think most clubs would feel the same.”

2. TEVITA FOLAU – SOUTHPORT TIGERS / RUNAWAY BAY SEAGULLS

“Folau is one of those big, intimidating Tongan wingers.

“(When his team is) coming out of trouble he’s hard to handle - it takes two or three to pull him down.

“He’s a good finisher too.”

3. JAMIE ANDERSON – RUNAWAY BAY SEAGULLS / BURLEIGH BEARS

“He played a little bit at Burleigh but was class.

“His dummy half running, he was a good defender and was always scoring tries.

“He was one of those players who was really hard to handle.”

4. TROY LEO – BURLEIGH BEARS / SOUTHPORT TIGERS

Pictured at his Southport Club house Southport Tigers Rugby League rising star Troy Leo, who has already scored 24 tries this season in A-grade. Picture Mike Batterham

“He’s playing on the wing now but when he played in the centres he was electrifying.

“He had speed to burn. It was just unbelievable.”

5. WAKA WAHINI - BURLEIGH BEARS

“Another one of those guys who was consistent week-in, week-out.

“He was much smaller than Tevita (Folau) but coming out of trouble it took so many to bring him down.

“He probably should have played more Q-Cup because I can’t remember ever seeing him have a bad game.”

6. CONNOR TOIA – BURLEIGH BEARS / RUNAWAY BAY SEAGULLS

“Connor is a gamebreaker and consistently, too.

”He was a common thread in premierships at Runaway Bay and Burleigh.

“He’s one of those players where good things seem to come around him.”

7. DRUMAYNE DAYBERG-MUIR – SOUTHPORT TIGERS / TUGUN SEAHAWKS

Southport's Drumayne Dayberg--Muir in action from the Bycroft Cup match between Runaway Bay and Southport (orange) at Bycroft Oval, Runaway Bay.

“I’ve never coached him but he played at Southport and Tugun for a long, long time.

“He’s exactly the same as Connor, very fast and nippy, hard to handle and in the big games especially things happened for him.”

8. JOSH HARVEY – TUGUN SEAHAWKS / RUNAWAY BAY SEAGULLS

“Him and Mitch Spackman, both good hard front rowers who don’t have bad games.

“Both put in those tough runs and are consistent.

“Players love playing with Josh because he’s tough and unrelenting.”

9. MICK EASDALE – SOUTHPORT TIGERS

“He was there for Grand Finals and different things for Southport.

“I thought he was a next level above, tough b------ but a champion bloke.

“Sides seemed to go better when he was there and he had that effect on players.”

10. MITCH SPACKMAN - BILAMBIL JETS

Round 9 Rugby League Gold Coast match between Ormeau Shearers and Bilambil Jets at Ormeau rugby league club. Jets Player No8 Mitch Spackman. Pic Mike Batterham

“He’s played a long time and the charge as an old school front-rower, not in a negative way.

“It’s a shame Bilambil went south because when you get players like that our players enjoy playing against guys like him.

“He hurts them too so they’ll be a little disappointed (he’s gone) but probably happy too.

11. TU WHAKATIHI – SOUTHPORT TIGERS / TUGUN SEAHAWKS

“Tu had great success at Southport and Tugun in grand finals.

“He’s a real leader and very experienced.

“A lot of guys I’ve picked have played for a long time and been able to be the best player or around there week-in, week-out.

“That’s why they’re captains of their teams.”

12. STEVE GILLET – RUNAWAY BAY SEAGULLS / CURRUMBIN EAGLES

“Gillet probably only played four or five years in the local comp but was a hard backrower.

“He was a brute. He wasn’t huge but he was stocky right backrower.

“He had a bit of skill but it wasn’t finesse that was his trademark.”

13. ROB APANUI – TUGUN SEAHAWKS

“Rob is a bit of a legend from his time at Burleigh, playing 200 games in the Q-Cup.

“He’s come back and played for Tugun over the last few years.

“He’s been outstanding and the ultimate leader I’ve seen.

“He’s turning 40 this year and still the most competitive and I think the best back-rower in the comp.”