Seagulls take impressive victory over Falcons

The 21-year-old, who played five NRL games for the Titans last season, devastated the Falcons defence with his strong fend and ability to beat defenders one-on-one in a first-class effort that reminded fans of his natural talent and his hopes to progress back to the big stage.

Spry's first try came in just the second minute from his first touch of the ball when he beat his opposing centre BJ Aufaga-Toomaga on the outside and was too fast for the closing defence to cross from 30 metres.

His second try was déjà vu, although this time he beat Aufaga-Toomaga with a left-handed fend then shook off two more tacklers near the line.

Spry's third came in the dying moments when he stepped inside, then out, and pushed off defenders again in a show of class from 25 metres.

“I think it was Treymain’s best performance of the season and our plan to give him early ball and let him create his own opportunities worked well,” Seagulls coach Ben Woolf said after the game.

“He was very classy on the right edge. He’s a very good attacking player and we utilised him better than we had been.

“Our attack was very sharp generally which was pleasing. We wanted to go wide with early ball to Treymain and play more direct on the left and it worked well on the back of some strong running in the middle.”

Five-eighth Will Brimson was strong on the left-hand edge too, ensuring Tweed had plenty of ammunition to throw at their opponents on the back of some strong carries by their pack, led by prop JJ Collins.

Brimson threw a brilliant long ball for winger Brayden McGrady for the Seagulls third try in the first half, after Brent Woolf had crossed from dummy half on the right, and in the second half put skipper Lamar Liolevave over on the left edge with a perfect short ball.

After starting the season at centre with Lindon McGrady at five-eighth, he has warmed to the five-eighth role since McGrady has moved to fullback while Jayden Campbell has been in the Titans NRL side (or more recently in the NRL bubble).

Aufaga-Toomaga had brief revenge on the Seagulls when he crossed from a Todd Murphy grubber into the in goal in the 16th minute to put the Falcons into the game at 8-6 before Brayden McGrady’s try made it 12-4.

In the 27th minute, on the back of successive penalties, Falcons middle forward Daniel Dole crossed from a dummy-half pass from Kurt Baptise for a soft try that saw Sunshine Coast get within two points at 14-12 despite Tweed dominating the first half hour.

Spry’s second try, and Liolevave’s only a minute into the second half, gave Tweed a clear lead at 24-12. Hard-working second-rower Josh Patston, in his second Intrust Super Cup appearance, crossed off a neat pass at the line from halfback Luke Jurd midway through the second half and the Seagulls were not to be beaten from then.

Lindon McGrady’s try in the 73rd minute typified Tweed’s attacking performance. Woolf went right from dummy half and created space for prop Harrison Muller who offloaded in the tackle to his fullback who anticipated brilliantly a chance was brewing.

It was an important victory for third-placed Tweed who can expect to be without their Titans players for a few more weeks.

With Burleigh Bears upsetting leaders Wynnum Manly Seagulls and the Redcliffe Dolphins getting the points against Ipswich, Tweed’s win keeps them a point ahead of both in-form teams going into next round’s clash with seventh-placed Souths Logan Magpies at Davis Park.

The Falcons are due to play the Jets in Ipswich.