SEAGULLS FALL FOUR POINTS SHORT OF FINALS

Written by Clare Quilty, Photo by Riley Harland

Sunday afternoon brought a heartbreaking end to Wynnum-Manly Seagulls’ Hostplus and BMD seasons, with both sides falling to the Brisbane Tigers at BMD Kougari Oval.

Locked on 10 wins and in the hunt for the top eight, both Queensland Cup sides entered the thrilling decider with finals on the line, as the Seagulls came out firing.

Alex Lobb opened the scoring in the 17th minute, the winger converting his own try to put Wynnum-Manly 6-0 ahead.

The Seagulls continued to dominate, with hooker Temple Kalepo crossing in the 29th minute and Lobb again adding the extras to stretch the lead to 12-0.

At the heart of another attacking surge five minutes later, Lobb grabbed his second try of the afternoon before converting for the third time, sending the Seagulls into half-time with an 18-0 advantage.

The Tigers came roaring out of the sheds for the final 40, clawing back an 18-point deficit.

They opened their account two minutes after the break and quickly built momentum, adding another try in the 53rd minute before scoring again four minutes later.

The Tigers continued their second-half charge, crossing twice more to take a 28-18 lead with just over 15 minutes remaining.

But the Seagulls dug deep for one final push through centre Ben Farr, crossing in the 70th minute before Lobb converted to bring Wynnum-Manly back within four points.

The Seagulls searched for a late lifeline, but the visitors stood firm to secure a 28-24 win.

The defeat brings the curtain down on a strong Seagulls season, with Wynnum-Manly falling just short of finals contention in a campaign that went down to the last siren.

The BMD Women’s side struggled to find form in their final outing, suffering a brutal 46-0 loss to Brisbane as their challenging season came to an end.

Both Seagulls sides will now turn their attention to the off-season, with a refreshed 2027 campaign on the horizon.

LOBB STARS AS SEAGULLS SOAR PAST MAGPIES

Written by Clare Quilty

Wynnum-Manly Seagulls bounced back in style, defeating the Souths Logan Magpies 42-18 at Davies Park on Sunday in Round 22 of the Hostplus Cup.

The Seagulls made an early impact through second-rower Bayley Sironen, who crossed in the second minute, with winger Alex Lobb converting to give Wynnum an early 6-0 lead.

Souths Logan opened their account in the 14th minute, but Sironen responded seven minutes later with his second try of the afternoon, with Lobb again converting.

Wynnum continued to build pressure through the forwards, with second-rower Brendan Frei crossing in the 25th minute before Jamie Hill extended the Seagulls’ lead four minutes later. Lobb’s reliable boot added the extras to both tries.

The Magpies struck again before half-time, but Wynnum held firm to take a 24-12 lead into the break.

Souths Logan came out firing in the second half, scoring early to reduce the deficit, but Alex Lobb hit back in the 48th minute.

His momentum continued just five minutes later, when Lobb crossed for his second try of the afternoon before completing his hat-trick with five minutes remaining.

To cap off a stellar group performance, centre Jordan Swann crossed for his first try of the afternoon in the 79th minute, with Lobb converting to seal a convincing 42-18 victory.

Lobb was instrumental in the Seagulls’ win, contributing 22 points through three tries and five successful conversions.

The result lifts the Seagulls to 8th on the Hostplus Cup ladder, with just one round of the regular season remaining before finals.

Wynnum-Manly will return home to BMD Kougari Oval this Sunday to face the Brisbane Tigers in their final regular-season clash.

In the BMD Women’s Premiership, Wynnum-Manly suffered a 34-12 loss to the Magpies and will also return home to face the Brisbane Tigers. A week out from finals, the Seagulls sit 10th on the ladder.

SEAGULLS FIGHT BACK AS FALCONS HOLD FIRM

Written by Clare Quilty

Round 21 of the Hostplus Cup kicked off Old Gulls Day at Kougari Oval on Sunday afternoon. The day celebrated the 1986 A Grade side, which claimed the Brisbane Rugby League premiership against Brothers under captain-coach Wally Lewis.

Lewis returned to Kougari Oval for the celebrations, making a special appearance as the Seagulls honoured the team and its 40-year legacy.

The BMD Premiership side opened the afternoon with a strong 22-14 win over the Falcons before the Hostplus Cup Seagulls took on the competition’s ladder leaders.

The Falcons came out firing, opening the scoring in the eighth minute before extending their advantage to 10-0 nine minutes later.

Wynnum-Manly responded with determined defensive efforts, but struggled to turn their opportunities into points as the visitors continued to control the contest.

Sunshine Coast continued pressing late in the half, crossing again in the 23rd and 38th minutes to take a 22-0 advantage before the break.

Facing a mountain to climb, the Seagulls returned from half-time with renewed energy.

The Falcons were first to score after the break, before Wynnum-Manly opened their account in the 57th minute through prop Joshua Coric. Alex Lobb’s conversion brought the score to 22-6.

The Seagulls clawed back some ground through their wingers, with Alex Lobb crossing in the 61st minute before Garry Tuilekutu found the line soon after.

The Falcons hit back with seven minutes remaining, but Wynnum-Manly continued to fight until the final whistle. Jordan Swann crossed in the 76th minute, with Alex Lobb adding the extras to keep comeback hopes alive. Despite a spirited second-half, the Seagulls were unable to close the gap on the competition’s top side.

The Wynnum-Manly Seagulls’ Hostplus Cup and BMD Premiership squads will both return to action next Sunday against the Souths Logan Magpies at Davies Park in Brisbane.

LATE SEAGULL’S SURGE NOT ENOUGH TO OVERCOME BEARS

Written by Clare Quilty

Wynnum-Manly Seagulls have fallen short against Burleigh Bears despite a spirited second-half fightback in their Round 20 Queensland Cup clash.

Burleigh made the stronger start, crossing twice inside the opening 20 minutes before adding two more tries later in the first half to take control of the contest.

Wynnum-Manly finally found their breakthrough in the 35th minute, with Garry Tuilekutu crossing to give the Seagulls some momentum heading into the sheds.

The Seagulls returned from half-time with renewed energy, mounting pressure on the Bears and beginning to find rhythm in their attack.

Prop Beni Allen added a try in the 60th minute, with Alex Lobb converting to bring the Seagulls closer.

Just six minutes later, Bayley Sironen crossed for the Seagulls, with Lobb again successful from the tee.

Continuing the Seagulls’ surge, Antonio Verhoeven scored in the 69th minute, threatening a remarkable second-half comeback.

Despite their four tries in the second half, Wynnum-Manly could not overcome Burleigh’s early advantage, with the Bears holding on for the victory.

The result leaves Wynnum-Manly sitting seventh on the Queensland Cup ladder after Round 20, with the Seagulls now preparing to return home for a Round 21 clash against the Falcons next Sunday. Wynnum will be out to avenge their earlier-season defeat and get their campaign back on track with a crucial win on home soil.

In other weekend results, the BMD Premiership Women suffered a 44-6 defeat to Burleigh Bears. The Seagulls will have the opportunity to respond next weekend when they take on the Falcons.

SEAGULLS SHOW FIGHT IN TOUGH JETS ENCOUNTER

Written by Clare Quilty

The Wynnum-Manly Seagulls showed plenty of early promise but were unable to maintain their strong start, going down 26-6 to the Ipswich Jets in their rescheduled BMD Premiership Round 2 clash.

The Seagulls hit the scoreboard through Emily Whittaker in the opening minutes, with Aaliyah Konui adding the extras to hand the hosts a 6-0 lead after an energetic opening.

Ipswich responded with a converted try midway through the opening half before edging ahead with another four-pointer to take a 12-6 lead into halftime.

Despite the deficit, the Seagulls women continued to fight until the final whistle, showing plenty of determination as the Jets extended their lead with a converted try before adding two late tries to secure the victory.

While the scoreboard didn’t fall Wynnum’s way, the Seagulls will take plenty of positives from their bright opening and determined effort against the Jets.

With four rounds of regular season footy remaining and sitting 11th on the ladder, the BMD Seagulls are determined to make a late-season push towards finals contention.

Wynnum-Manly’s next challenge comes against the Burleigh Bears at UAA Park on the Gold Coast next Saturday.

SHIBASAKI MARKS 50TH WITH HAT-TRICK MASTERCLASS

Written by Clare Quilty

Round 19 of the Hostplus Cup featured a Seagulls derby, with Wynnum-Manly overpowering Tweed to secure their third straight win.

The Country Round clash saw Wynnum-Manly travel south to Warwick’s Father Ranger Oval on Sunday, where a commanding performance propelled the Seagulls into third on the ladder.

Wynnum-Manly set the tone early, with prop Joshua Coric crossing in the opening minutes. Alex Lobb converted the try before Jordan Swann extended the lead four minutes later.

Five-eighth Talatau Amone continued Wynnum-Manly’s explosive start, crossing in the 8th minute before Tweed responded with their first points four minutes later. Amone then added his second try of the afternoon in the 18th minute.

Captain Brendan Frei added another four-pointer five minutes before the break, while Alex Lobb remained perfect with the boot to send Wynnum-Manly into the sheds holding a comfortable 28-0 lead.

The Seagulls picked up where they left off after the break, with Garry Tuilekutu and Cameron Bukowski scoring within the opening seven minutes, before Jamal Shibasaki celebrated his 50th Queensland Rugby League appearance with the first of his three-try haul in the 53rd minute.

Tweed managed to respond with a try in the 59th minute, but the visitors were unable to convert either attempt before Shibasaki struck again in the 67th minute.

The milestone man delivered the final blow, completing his hat-trick two minutes from full-time to seal a memorable afternoon for Wynnum-Manly. Alex Lobb capped off his own impressive performance, converting nine of Wynnum-Manly’s 10 tries to contribute to the team’s clinical display.

The Seagulls will aim for a fourth consecutive win next Saturday at UAA Park against the Burleigh Bears.

The BMD Premiership women’s side returns on Sunday, hosting the Ipswich Jets at BMD Kougari Oval in their rescheduled Round 2 meeting, with the Seagulls eager to overturn last year’s 28-20 loss.

In other weekend results, the BRL A Grade side fell 30-18 to the Valleys Diehards at Frank Lind Oval. They will look to rebound in Round 18 when they face Carina Tigers at Leo William Oval

TUILEKUTU’S FOUR-TRY MASTERCLASS SEALS SEAGULLS’ VICTORY

Written by Clare Quilty

The Wynnum-Manly Seagulls continued their strong run of form with a commanding 52-22 victory over the Ipswich Jets at BMD Kougari Oval on Sunday, producing one of their standout Hostplus Cup performances of the season.

Celebrating Indigenous Round, the Seagulls produced a dominant attacking display to extend their impressive record against the Jets, winning six of their last seven home games against Ipswich.

The Seagulls exploded out of the blocks, with Garry Tuilekutu crossing in the opening minutes before adding his second just five minutes later. Alex Lobb’s boot handed Wynnum an early 10-0 lead.

The attacking momentum continued, with Joshua Coric crossing in the 10th minute, followed by Antonio Verhoeven four minutes later. Lobb converted both tries as Wynnum continued to pile on the pressure.

Alex Lobb joined the try-scorers in the 16th minute, extending Wynnum’s lead before the Jets hit back with two tries to close the gap.

Wynnum quickly regained control through Talatau Amone’s try in the 29th minute, before Lobb added his second of the afternoon.

Tuilekutu capped off a remarkable opening half by completing his hat-trick in the 38th minute, with Lobb’s conversion sending the Seagulls into the sheds with a commanding 40-10 halftime lead.

The winger continued his outstanding afternoon, scoring his fourth try in the 47th minute as Wynnum maintained their dominance.

Bayley Sironen added another four-pointer in the 55th minute before Tieran Ross crossed in the 64th minute, sealing a convincing 52-22 victory for the Seagulls.

Tuilekutu’s four-try masterclass was rewarded with the Lionel Morgan Medal, honouring the trailblazing legacy of the first Indigenous rugby league player to represent Australia.

Coach Mathew Head praised Tuilekutu’s instinctive finishing ability, highlighting his knack for turning opportunities others may miss into points.

The win propelled Wynnum into sixth on the Hostplus Cup ladder, setting up a Round 19 Seagulls Derby against Tweed in Warwick. The Country Week clash continues the competition’s tradition of taking elite rugby league to regional communities and giving fans the chance to see the game’s emerging stars in action.

In other weekend results, the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls BMD Premiership side fell just short against the Mackay Cutters, going down 16-14 at BMD Kougari Oval on Sunday.

Players wore purple ribbons as part of a BMD Premiership initiative recognising the impact of domestic and family violence following the recent death of Toowoomba woman Jana Armstrong.

After trailing 16-0 at halftime, Wynnum mounted a spirited second-half comeback but couldn’t find the match-winning play.

The Seagulls women will aim to bounce back in a rescheduled Round 2 clash against the Ipswich Jets at BMD Kougari Oval.

BMD Premiership Seagulls Soar to Victory Over Tweed

On Saturday, our BMD Premiership side travelled down the M1 to take on the Tweed Seagulls at Piggabeen, with both teams looking to secure a crucial win and move away from the bottom of the ladder.

Wynnum Manly came out firing, making the first impact on the scoreboard when Shauna Barnham crossed the line in the 7th minute. Tweed responded quickly, scoring in the 12th minute and converting successfully to take a 6-4 lead.

Head Coach Darren Ferricks was forced to make some adjustments throughout the contest, bringing fresh legs into the side. The changes paid off, with Bailee Drossaerts Lake finding the try line in the 26th minute, followed by a successful conversion from Aaliyah Konui. Just before half time, Linneke Gevers crossed over to extend Wynnum’s lead, sending the side into the break ahead 14-6.

The Seagulls continued their momentum after the restart, with Charlotte Wells scoring her first try of the afternoon to extend the lead. Linneke Gevers then completed her double, crossing for the final try of the match.

Wynnum Manly closed out a strong performance with a convincing 22-6 victory over Tweed, securing an important two points.

SEAGULLS FIND TOP FORM IN EMPATHIC WIN OVER HUNTERS

Written by Clare Quilty

The Wynnum-Manly Seagulls secured a clinical 54-0 victory over the PNG Hunters at Kougari Oval on Sunday afternoon, completing the season sweep after defeating the side in Port Moresby in Round 2 of the Hostplus Cup.

Returning home for Round 16, the Seagulls wasted no time asserting themselves, crossing for 10 tries in a dominant display built on attack and relentless defence.

Fullback Will Parslow opened the scoring just three minutes in, before Alex Lobb extended their lead six minutes later.

Garry Tuilekutu continued the Seagulls’ fast start, completing a first-half double with tries in the 14th and 18th minutes.

Jordan Grant added to the tally before Riley Frame crossed just before halftime, capping a near-perfect first half. Alex Lobb’s conversions secured a commanding 30-0 Seagulls lead heading into the sheds.

The home side showed no signs of slowing after the break, with Lobb scoring his second try in the 42nd minute before Jaiyden Hunt crossed five minutes later.

A try from Tuilekutu in the 68th minute sealed his hat-trick and underlined Wynnum-Manly’s dominance late in the match. Frame’s double capped a commanding Seagulls performance built on sustained pressure and execution, with Lobb finishing the job with six conversions and a late penalty goal.

The win gives Wynnum-Manly valuable momentum heading into a bye next weekend, lifting the side into ninth place on the ladder, ahead of a Round 18 return to Kougari Oval to host the Ipswich Jets.

Earlier in the weekend, the women’s BMD Premiership Seagulls secured their first win of the season with a strong 28-6 result over the Western Clydesdales in Hervey Bay. They return in Round 6 for a Seagulls derby against Tweed at Preston Campbell Field next Saturday.

SEAGULLS UNABLE TO MATCH DOLPHINS IN BAYSIDE CLASH

Written by Clare Quilty

Still stinging from a 36-16 Round 3 loss at home, Wynnum-Manly headed to Kayo Stadium on Sunday to face the Dolphins in a heated bayside rematch.

The Seagulls set the tempo early, with second-rower Jamie Hill floating a cut-out pass over the defence, putting Alex Lobb over out wide in the seventh minute. Lobb converted his own try, pushing Wynnum-Manly out to an early 6-0 lead.

The Dolphins responded midway through the opening half, striking three times to head into the break 18-6.

The Seagulls continued to challenge after half-time, but the home side made the most of their opportunities, crossing four times to seal the win.

Fullback Will Parslow made a strong run to get the Seagulls into attacking territory before setting up Alex Lobb to grab his second in the closing stages.

Despite the effort, the Seagulls finished on the wrong end of a 34-10 scoreline, while prop Jordan Grant led the defensive effort with a tireless performance through the middle.

The defeat drops Wynnum-Manly to 10th on the Hostplus Cup ladder. They return to Kougari Oval on Sunday for a long-awaited home clash against the PNG Hunters.

It was a tough weekend across both grades for Wynnum-Manly, with the BMD Premiership side also in action. The women suffered a 22-6 defeat to the Northern Pride on Saturday in Round 4. Attention now turns to returning to form next weekend in Hervey Bay against the Western Clydesdales.