The Seagulls Hastings Deering Colts will look to continue their impressive season as they take on Redcliffe in the curtain raiser this Saturday at 4pm.
The Round 11 fixture is a top of the table clash, with the Gulls sitting in first place with one loss and one draw, and the Dolphins close behind in third.
After a scheduled bye round and the postponement of their most recent game, the Gulls are eager to get back out on the field and face off against the Dolphins for the second time this season. When the clubs took the field for the first time in Round 2 earlier in 2021, the Seagulls scored 7 tries and came away with a strong win.
In their most recent match, the Colts took on the Tweed Seagulls for the first time since their pre-season trial. After being beaten fairly comprehensively in that trial, coaching staff were pleased to get a good win when the points counted in Round 9.
Braden Whittaker was the Gulls’ best in that game, and walked away with the McDonald’s Player of the Match Award.
The five-eighth steered the team effectively in attack on the day, and was defensively sound. The Gulls primary goal kicker, Whittaker also converted five conversions from five attempts.
Colts Head Coach Michael Dobson was pleased with the team’s ability to convert points on the day and impressed with a more complete performance than he had seen in recent weeks. “We ticked the effort areas a bit better against Tweed and met the KPIs that we set as a team”.
Despite losing the possession and kicking metres battle, the Gulls showed strong discipline and defensive intensity, limited their opposition to 12 points.
The Colts team has gone from strength to strength in 2021, in a boost to the credibility of the McDonalds Seagulls Academy Program. With a number of NRL call ups for players in the Seagulls Intrust Super Cup side this year, pathways continue to open for Colts players to earn opportunities to play at the next level.
This week, Alec MacDonald is set to make his ISC debut after impressing Academy staff and ISC Head Coach Adam Brideson throughout the year. The ongoing development of players remains a key pillar of the Gulls football program and the Club is grateful to McDonalds for proudly supporting the Seagulls Academy.