Their respective seasons may have drawn to a close in recent weeks, but Tweed Seagulls and Gold Coast Titans young guns Tanah Boyd and Tom Weaver can both look back on the year that was with satisfaction.
Boyd began the 2022 season playing with the Seagulls in the Hostplus Cup, and worked hard to push his way into the starting side for the Titans later in the season, closing out his year his by kicking the winning field goal in extra time in his side’s final round win against the Warriors (pictured above).
Speaking earlier in the year about his football goals, the Runaway Bay junior more than delivered on what he set out to do.
"Definitely to keep playing first grade, building and learning the new position," Boyd said of what he wanted to work on this year.
"(I want to) try and get better each week, that's definitely my goal.
"Obviously now, I just want to focus on staying in first grade, cementing it and that's my main focus.”
Boyd also had to overcome some frustrating injuries to get there, however, fracturing his cheekbone in that first match and being forced to sit on the sidelines for a number of weeks to recover.
"I had a little hiccup early in the year (but) I'm glad to be in the team now," Boyd said when speaking at a Titans media day earlier this season.
"I've just got to build some consistency and keep playing well. I played one game, broke my cheek bone and came back and it's good.
"I was at a new club at Tweed... They're a great bunch of boys. Woolfy (coach Ben Woolf) is such a good coach. It's always good to go back to a good group of boys and enjoy it."
Boyd returned to the field with the Seagulls in Round 5, and then quickly earned his spot in the NRL line up where he was able to showcase his versatility through the season, playing hooker off the bench and also stepping in at five-eighth and halfback.
For Weaver, whose talents shone most recently in Week 1 of the Hastings Deering Colts finals series as the Seagulls upset Brisbane Tigers, it too was a season of achieving goals.
One of the high points was playing in the Under 21 representative match earlier this year for New South Wales.
Weaver, who "started playing at Cudgen Hornets in Kingscliff" went to school in New South Wales when he was younger, before being signed to Titans to join their junior system.
The halfback made the move to Palm Beach Currumbin in Year 11 and was captain of the team when they won the Phil Hall Cup, all while playing club football with Tweed, where he also captained his Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup side to a state title.
Speaking before making his Cup debut against Redcliffe Dolphins in Round 15, Weaver said he hoped to gain experience in the premier statewide competition this year.
"My aim... I definitely want to crack Cup. I want to do that and cement a spot towards the back end of the year in Cup and build into next year, play a full year of Cup next year," Weaver said.
"I am just focusing on getting some games under my belt and getting some consistent footy going. Building towards the back end of the year.
"I obviously want to crack the top squad and play some NRL. That's the long-term goal. But at the moment I'm just biding my time and learning as much as I can.
"It is my first year in the system and just loving it at the moment, relishing everything that comes my way."
This past season, Weaver has also been able to ask advice from some more experienced players - who like him and Boyd - have honed their skills with the Seagulls.
"It's good to learn off Toby (Sexton) and AJ (Brimson)," Weaver said.
"AJ has been playing a long time... he came into the system at a young age as well.
"Same as Toby. He was at PBC and came straight out of high school to top grade.
"(It is good) just watching and asking them for advice about where they went and how they got used to full-time environment."
Both Boyd and Weaver will enjoy an off-season break before returning to the training field for preseason with the Titans in November this year.
