OPTUS INSIDER | Will Brimson

By Lee Reilly

Wynnum Manly Seagulls centre William Brimson hopes that the Seagulls can give the fans a final win at home in 2017 when they take on the Burleigh Bears this Sunday at BMD Kougari Oval.

“As a team we probably let our fans down a little bit. The last few games we’ve won at home there’s been a real good feeling.”

“Hopefully on Sunday we can put on another eighty minute performance, let the fans get behind us and get a win for them.”

With the Seagulls and Bears sitting in 9th and 10th placed respectively on the Intrust Super Cup ladder, the former Broncos U20’s player is well aware that getting a final win at home is not going to be an easy feat at Kougari.

“I’ll definitely be expecting a big game. Burleigh is always a strong side, always a big side. They probably haven’t performed the way they’ve wanted to this season. They still have the depth there,” Brimson said.

The Seagulls will go into the game brimming with confidence after their 22-6 victory over the more fancied Easts Tigers who had Melbourne Storm players Nate Myles, Brodie Croft, Robbie Rochow and Young Tonumaipea on deck last Sunday.

“The best thing in footy is momentum. We got through that first 20 minute period and went up fourteen nil at half time.”

“Our boys defended really well and once the momentum started they didn’t stop and we were able to bag a few more tries.”

Brimson when asked what has gone wrong in 2017 couldn’t put his finger on any one thing in particular but knows that a strong finish to the season could help sow the seeds for an improved 2018.

“I probably couldn’t tell you to be honest. We started the season 3-0 ; we’ve got a good side on paper. We knew what we had to fix it but we weren’t actually going out there and executing it,” added Brimson.

“We lost a couple of games there that we probably should have won against sides that we were definitely better than. There was always belief within the group. We were training well and training hard.”

“Hopefully the back-end of this year we can hopefully win the rest of our games and lead into a strong pre-season do a bit better next year.”

The second year apprentice Electrician has found himself thrown into the halves at stages this year with the Seagulls having suffered a lot of injuries at six and seven this year.

“Obviously halves are probably the most important position in the team. We’ve had a few injuries; I started the season in there and got moved to the centres and then ended back in the halves.”

“It is what is. Obviously there’s a bit of disruption there but we knew whoever we had there could and would do the job. We’ve shown that against quality sides when Travis Burns wasn’t there.”

Match Report | Wynnum win derby against Easts

By Kenny Andres

In a bounce-back performance, Wynnum Manly downed Easts Tigers at BMD Kougari yesterday afternoon, claiming a 22-6 win.

It was a strong start for the visitors however, who had little trouble venturing into Wynnum territory, threatening early.

But the following 20 minutes would be a sloppy period, errors abundant for both camps as neither could bring up points until the 24th minute.

Recent Seagulls acquisition Shaun Nona helped break the deadlock, spotting some space behind the defensive line before poking a grubber kick through to find late addition David Mead for four points.

Nona added the extras, marking the start of a strong Wynnum period for the rest of the half.

The first half closed nicely for the Seagulls, with the green and red run of play continuing when skipper Mitchell Frei regathered his own grubber to touch down four minutes out from the break.

Whilst the first half finished in favour of the home side, coach Adam Brideson lauded his side’s defence for standing strong against the abundance of early attacking Tiger possession.

“Nate Myles, Robbie Rochow, Young Tonu Tonumaipea; they dominated possession for a large chunk of that 25 minutes and yet we managed to turn them away,” Brideson said.

The Tigers eliminated the chance of being shut out for the first time this season early in the second half, Steven Thorpe busting over from short range in the 43rd minute, cashing in on a perfect Billy Walters delivery.

They looked dangerous again when Tonumaipea sliced through again a few sets later, which eventually resulted in a repeat set, before errors nullified more attacking opportunity for the Tigers.

This would be an unfortunate reoccurrence for Easts, who produced enterprising play without reward as they struggled to find execution throughout the second half.

Wynnum Manly didn’t fare much better throughout the bulk of the second half, but found a way to flick the switch in the final 10 minutes when Jeriah Goodrich collected the scraps of a Travis Burns bomb to light up the score board for Wynnum in the 74th minute.

Stedman Lefau put the contest to bed with a short-range score three minutes out, capping off a solid performance at home for the Seagulls.

“We turned up today,” Brideson said after the match.

“I know Easts will probably say they didn’t play very well today, but in my opinion, we didn’t really allow them to; we stuck it to a really good Easts side and showed a lot of commitment.”

The Seagulls are a longshot to make the finals, but play in hope against Burleigh next week, whilst the Tigers look to hold their top six position at home against Tweed Heads.

OPTUS INSIDER | Jayden Berrell

By Lee Reilly

Wynnum Manly Seagulls hooker Jayden Berrell believes getting back to basics and playing some consistent football is the most important thing for the side when they go up against Easts Tigers on Derby day at BMD Kougari Oval this Sunday.

“I think the main thing is just to play some good football. It’s been a very up and down season for us, we need to try and get out there and play the football we know we can.”

The Seagulls will have to work hard to make the top 6 after Saturday night’s upset against Northern Pride in Bamaga, not that Berrell is using the travel involved as part of country week as the reason for the poor showing.

“It’s obviously disappointing and not the result we wanted up there. We just didn’t turn up and Northern Pride got the better of us on the day.”

“We spent most of Friday travelling up there. A few of the boys pulled up a bit stiff sitting on the plane all day but we don’t use that as an excuse.”

The return of experienced half Travis Burns for Sunday is a blessing according to the hooker, his NRL and English Super League experience will be crucial out there on Sunday.

“Travis has a lot of experience behind him and he’s just come back from Super League so he’s a big boost for us and brings a lot of knowledge back to the side.”

Good defense has been a one of the positives to take out of the season so far but putting more points on the board is something that the 22 year-old knows the club needs to improve on.

“I think we’ve been quite strong defensively this year, I think it’s been probably one of our better assets. Just putting points on the board is something we need to work harder on.”

Away from the game Berrell’s full time occupation is as a carpenter who works and lives on the Gold Coast and makes the commute to Wynnum Manly to train and play.

“I’m a carpenter by trade. I finished my apprenticeship last year. That was my biggest goal away from footy was getting that finished and completed. I got that ticked off,” added Berrell.

“I travel up three or four times after a week after work. It’s a bit of a drive but it’s not too bad when you come to a place like Wynnum.”

Don’t expect the talented hooker to be lounging on the couch watching the NRL on the TV or checking his phone for score updates. Being as far removed from the game is crucial according to the former Bronco.

“Getting away from football is my biggest thing. Not spending too much time on the game is pretty healthy. ”

“I don’t usually even watch footy at home. I only train and play, apart from that I try to stay away from it and keep my mind on other things so the interest stays there I guess.”

The reason for the switch from the Norths Devils to the Seagulls in 2017 was down to Adam Brideson taking over as head coach who served as a mentor to him when he was at the Broncos.

“I’ve spent a few years through the U20’s system as well. He’s actually the reason I came out here this season, it’s been real enjoyable playing under him this year.”

One thing that the former Junior Kangaroo is still come to grips with in his first season at Wynnum Manly Seagulls is the eccentricity of team-mate and fan favourite Peter Gubb.

“I’m still trying to comprehend what goes on with him. You just watch him out there and he’s doing weird stuff, I don’t know what goes through his head.”

“He jumps over lines, he has to put his clothes on a certain way, name it,” joked Berrell.

MATCH REPORT | Cape fearless: Pride end horror run in style

by QRL Media

A strong first half set up the Northern Pride’s 40-16 domination of the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls on Cape York, ending an eight-game winless run.

Cape York communities aren’t known for their traffic jams, so when the 4WDs start spilling into the bush around the Yusia Ginau Oval carpark, you know the big show is in town.

A rare Intrust Super Cup game in the cape township of Bamaga, the first of County Week 2017, saw local fans fill the stands and field-side huts keen for a full day of footy. That’s exactly what they got, the day kicking off with the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) Under-13s taking on the Zenadth Kes Rugby League Under-13s, and the Torres Stingers open men’s team getting home against the NPA Bulls.

But it was the classier footy of the Intrust Super Cup that the fans had come to see, and winless in their last eight games, that was just what the Northern Pride were keen to display, along with the Indigenous jersey they wore for the occasion.

Wynnum-Manly helped out with an early knock-on and penalty gifting the Pride field position and the Cairns team accepted the offer, with Brad Stephen crashing over from short range. Jordan Biondi-Odo added the extras to put the pride up 6-0.

The Pride were soon in again, halfback Jared Allen on the end of a 50-metre Shawn Bowen sideline burst. Biondi-Odo then used the wind to swing the conversion through the posts and the Pride were perfect at 12-0.

The Seagulls hit back quickly through Shaun Nona, but spoiled their good work with some poor left edge defence, allowing Brad Stephen to slice through 30 metres out and run away to score untouched. Biondi-Odo added the extras to extend the Pride’s lead to 18-4. A classy backline move then put Shawn Bowen in in the corner and on the knock of half-time a silly penalty deep in their own half added insult to injury for Wynnum-Manly. The Pride were more than happy to accept the two points and head to the sheds with a handy 24-4 advantage.

Wynnum-Manly added more starch to their defence in the second half, and after an initial softening up period put fullback Daniel Ogden away from close range next to the posts. Paora Kemp slotted the easiest of conversions to reduce the deficit to 14 and the Seagulls looked a chance.

With momentum building, an injury to Max Elliot broke the Seagulls’ concentration and the teams went tit-for-tat through tries to the Pride’s Marcus Jenson and Wynnum’s Peter Gubb.

The Pride did well to maintain their intensity though, and were always in control. Patrick Mago and Gideon Gela-Mosby got in on the act as the game wound down, the Northern Pride ending a horror run as 40-16 victors over the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls.

This story was originally published at:
http://www.qrl.com.au/news/2017/07/22/pride_end_horror_run.af_intrust-super-cup.html

Optus Insider | Travis Burns

By Lee Reilly

Wynnum-Manly Seagulls Travis Burns is hoping to be back on the Paddock as the club clings to hope of a Top 6 finals berth that continues this week when the club goes up against Northern Pride in Bamaga as part of the QRL’s Country Round.

The former NRL and English Super League player’s hand injury has limited his training but Burns is doing everything humanly possible to be ready for his return.

“Being out for so long you lose your match fitness. I’m doing a lot of running so that when I’m back I can be fit and ready to go.”

“I took a little bit of time off to try and get my hand right as quick as I can. Hopefully I’m on the field soon and back winning games for Wynnum.”

His stint on the sideline has given Burns a glimpse of the future for Wynnum-Manly and boom half Aaron Booth has impressed the decorated footballer.

“The young fellas have stood up. Aaron Booth who has come into the halves, unlucky for him he’s injured now. He’s a real player of the future; I have a lot of time for Aaron, he wants to learn and listen.”

One thing the experienced half has noticed since joining Wynnum-Manly is how well first-year coach Adam Brideson has handled what at times has been a difficult Intrust Super Cup season.

“He’s had a lot to deal with in his first year as a head coach with the injuries we’ve had and a few close losses. I think he’s handled himself well.”

The former NRL star has also seen how far the progress of the younger players has come along under the tutelage of the man affectionately known as Brido.

“You just see with the progress of the young players that have come in goes down to Brido (Brideson) and the coaching staff have fast tracked them that they can step into state league and play well.”

“We have a really good young squad and in the next few years you’re going to see a lot of success.”

The likeable Burns is unsure if 2017 will be his rugby league swansong but is keen to finish the season with back on the field for the Seagulls.

“I haven’t made that decision yet. Obviously I’m 33 years- old now and I’ve had a good career. If it comes to call time as a footballer at the end of this year I’ll be happy with that decision.”

“Something I’ll have to speak to my family and obviously Brido (Brideson) about. It’s been a tough year with a few niggling injuries I’ve had and that just come with age. I’m not young anymore; I’m at the back end of my career.”

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time and I just want to get back on the paddock for Wynnum and if it is my final year finish my career in good stead and win some games with a great bunch of lads.”