GCDRU Replay: Nerang Bulls v Surfers Paradise Dolphins
Tune in for all the action from a potential finals match-up in Round Nine of the GCDRU competition. Nerang Bulls host Surfers on Ladies Day.
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Surfers Paradise could not catch the fast-starting Nerang Bulls in a high-scoring GCDRU round eight clash.
Nerang opened the game with four-straight tries and held off a Surfers comeback to win 34-21, defending their position at second on the ladder.
Surfers came back from 24-0 down to win the final 45 minutes 21-7 but could not claw back the margin.
Nerang’s monster forward back built midfield momentum for classy wingers to score four of the side’s five tries.
REVEALED: THE X-FACTORS WHO COULD DECIDE BULLS V DOLPHINS
MATCH PREVIEW
Nerang captain Josh Edmond was furious when Surfers Paradise centre Delouise Hoeter cut his team to shreds in the final play of round two.
Edmond’s Bulls had led 20-17 when Hoeter “hopped, skipped and jumped” through the defence to score a buzzer-beating matchwinner in the corner.
“We had the game won and in the last play he (Hoeter) just beat a few defenders and reached out to score,” Edmond said.
“It was pretty disappointing; we had played so well and then to let him dance around, we hung off him and get got around us.
“I did get angry at how no-one pushed up to make a tackle but we won’t allow that to happen this time around.”
Nerang’s frustration at letting a win slip through their fingers will ensure complacency is stamped out when the Dolphins swim up the Nerang River on Saturday.
If a large Ladies Day crowd in attendance wasn’t enough, knowledge that the eyes of their rivals will be upon them watching via Gold Coast Bulletin livestream will add fuel to their fire.
Surfers Paradise know they’ll have to play to their peak to emerge from Glennon Park with their three-match winning streak unbroken.
“We know they’ll come out firing to make amends,” Dolphins flanker Alex Behns said.
“It will still be raw for them, that loss, because in their heads they’d won the game at that point in time.
“It’s going to be a big one for us, we know their forwards are going to muscle up and we’ll have to muscle up in defence to match them.”
Surfers are riding high after dismantling Palm Beach Currumbin 55-31 away from home last week.
After a shaky start to their season Behns says his teammates are finally starting to gel together.
“I don’t want to say it’s a rebuilding year for us but we have a lot of young guys coming through who haven’t built those connections yet,” he said.
“Now we’ve had some time we’re building those combinations, really understand each other’s capability which enabled us to put on a performance like that.
“Last weekend was the first weekend we’ve put together a decent game and even then it was only for 60 minutes.
“It would be awesome to see what we can do with 80 minutes of cohesiveness.”
Around the grounds: Coomera v Helensvale; Bond v PBC; Eagles v Colleges.
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