The man behind the Seahawks’ stunning surge in the CDRL

IF Yarrabah Seahawks are the entertainers of the CDRL, look no further than Coleridge Dabah as the conductor of this symphony of scintillating rugby league.

IF Yarrabah Seahawks are the entertainers of the CDRL, look no further than Coleridge Dabah as the conductor of this symphony of scintillating rugby league.

Dabah is among the best five-eighths in Cairns District Rugby League, and has been one of the keys to Yarrabah’s surge from towards the bottom of the ladder after two rounds to second at the halfway mark in the season.

Seahawks' Coleridge Dabah breaks the Kangaroos’ defensive line in the Cairns and District Rugby League (CDRL). Picture: Brendan Radke

The stats smile on this agile and speedy playmaker, who just happens to have a radar-like boot which has sent him to the top of the pointscoring leaderboard after 10 rounds.

He has scored 93 points, easily the most in the league, and has an incredibly accurate 38 goals from a little more than 40 attempts. Dabah is also one of only three players with a field goal to their name – a late winner in a round-7 win against Edmonton.

But his ability to conduct a game of rugby league is very much at the heart of the former Mossman-Port Douglas premiership winner, who was named player of the final when the Sharks claimed the reserve grade title in 2019.

Yarrabah president Sam Bann Sr said a move to his home club had made a difference during a season in which the Seahawks have developed into a team which can challenge runaway leader Brothers.

Seahawks' Coleridge Dabah celebrates scoring a try. Picture: Brendan Radke

“He doesn’t have so much travel anymore,” Bann Sr said. “It’s two-and-a-half hours to Mossman and back, which he was doing twice a week for training, plus his games. Now he only has to travel 100m from home. It’s certainly helped, he looks refreshed.”

Mossman-Port Douglas was a powerhouse in 2019. It had enough quality and depth to field two outstanding teams, which unsurprisingly swept both senior premierships.

But that quality meant Dabah didn’t often have the opportunity to play in the A-grade competition, which he does week in, week out for ­Yarrabah Seahawks. He has proved he can handle the hits.

Yarrabah has scored 49 tries, the third most in the league behind Brothers (60) and Mossman (50), and averaged more than 31 points per game. It has scored 30 or more points six times, which is second only to Brothers.

Defence is what catches the Seahawks out (26.8 points per game), but if they can maintain their scoring rate the losses column will remain empty.

Seahawks' Coleridge Dabah is the CDRL’s leading goalkicker this season. Picture: Brendan Radke

Dabah’s success reflects the team’s performance, and both will face a stern test when they host Innisfail Leps on Saturday in what will be the first game in years under lights at Jilara Oval.

And if they keep playing the same tune, this will surely be a preview to a finals clash.

“The whole team is playing well together,” Bann Sr said. “The forwards are setting a very good platform for the halves, and that’s allowed him to work on his own game.

“We haven’t had a night game in Yarrabah since the Pride played there a long time ago. It’s big for the club, and shows how far we’ve come.”

Originally published as The man behind the Seahawks’ stunning surge in the CDRL