Neil Cadigan
The Campbell Construction Co. Tweed Seagulls side has been boosted with the inclusion of New Zealand and Samoan international prop Herman Ese’ese for tomorrow’s season-opening home clash against Central Queensland Capras at Tugun Leagues Club (3pm).
The 26-year-old prop, who joined Gold Coast Titans this year after three seasons with Newcastle Knights, comes into the 17 after originally being listed at No. 19 in the Titans’ 21-man squad selected for their Friday night derby clash with the Broncos.
Seagulls coach Ben Woolf says Ese’ese has the potential to make a big contribution to the Seagulls’ start to the season with his powerful running and deft offload.
“Herman obviously has a point to prove, that he should be in the Titans’ 17, and he’s going to be really good value for us,” said Woolf. “He was terrific in the trial against Burleigh and he has nearly 100 NRL games’ experience (93 for the Broncos and Knights).
“We have really good representation from the Titans to boost a good balance of experience and youth in our own squad.”
Ese’ese’s inclusion takes the number of Titans players in Saturday’s team to seven – joining youngsters Jayden Campbell (fullback), Toby Sexton (five-eighth), Tremain Spry (centre) and middle forwards Jai Whitbread, Sam McIntyre and edge player Darius Farmer. It’s perhaps the largest contingent in the one match since 2014 and most of those players have the benefit of four training sessions with the Seagulls.
Woolf’s preparations have been about his side playing “fast”, using the ball but being able to switch on defensively if they have to defend successive sets with the Seagulls playing under the new “six-again” rule for the first time in the Intrust Super Cup.
“We want to use footy, play with confidence and back ourselves to play fast,” said Woolf. “But to do that we have to have the ability to defend six-to-go rulings against us and back to back sets.
“If you can’t defend back to back sets that turns into conceding tries and defending kick-offs under fatigue. It’s difficult to stop momentum under pressure these days and we have to respect that.
“We have a blend of good experience with the nucleus of the side from the past few seasons still there in Lindon McGrady, Lamar Liolevave and Rowland Jacobs then Lee Turner, Brent Woolf and Tremain Spry who have come through since 2019 – plus other regular players not in the 17 on Saturday.
“And there are exciting young guys like Toby Sexton and Jayden Campbell, plus the Titans guys who have quite a bit of NRL experience. We just have to blend it all together.”
The team: Jayden Campbell, Talor Walters, Tremain Spry, Lee Turner, Ryland Jacobs, Lindon McGrady, Toby Sexton, Jai Whitbread, Brent Woolf, JJ Collins, Lamar Liolevave, Joe Vuna, Sam McIntyre. Interchange: Liam Hampson, Darius Farmer, Harrison Muller, Braden Robson.
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