Seagulls building strong foundations for future success in NRRRL

TWEED Seagulls are confident the club’s growing depth and player pathways will help the side remain competitive leading into the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League semi-finals.

The first-grade team are battling it out in the middle of the pack after a season-defining win over defending premiers Marist Brothers.

The competition has had a shake-up this season with Casino and Lower Clarence the big improvers at the top of the ladder.

The Seagulls have shown significant progress after re-entering the first grade competition last year as part of a long-term plan to provide opportunities for local junior players to remain at the club.

“We’re generating that belief that when our juniors come through the under-13s, under-16s and under-18s, they’ve got that pathway in front of them,” coach Craig Field said.

“In the past some players would move into other competitions, but now they’ve got the opportunity to stay and develop here.”

While still establishing themselves against some of the competition’s powerhouse clubs, the Seagulls have shown they can match it on the field with the 13 NRRRL teams.

 

Field, who played in the NRL, said the quality of the competition had impressed him after he had a stint playing in it 15 years ago.

“The Northern Rivers is one of the best competitions,” he said.

“It’s definitely physical and there’s definitely talented players out there. Every team seems to have a couple of quality footballers that catch your eye.”

With a mixture of experienced recruits and emerging local talent, the Seagulls are hopeful of continuing their upward trajectory throughout the season.

Field said improved combinations and the influence of higher-level players will help the side challenge strongly in 2026.

“We’ve got some really young blokes coming through who were juniors at the club and that’s important for our future,” he said.

“The players we’ve brought into the club have been great for the local boys and for the club as a whole.”