Seagulls focus on key signings to help club grow in NRRRL

TWEED Seagulls will look to build on its first season back in Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League with a handful of new recruits adding strength to the club’s depth this season.

Front-rower Bailey Cox and Jack Field are among the new additions with captain Tom Neale and top-try scorer Ezekiel Hart returning.

Club president Brian Cox said extra depth will put the team in good stead this season.

“We’ve had a few new recruits arrive and have a lot more players in general with a couple of boys who have moved back from Sydney,” Cox said.

“There were a couple of tight games that didn’t go our way last season and I think we can change those results this year.

“It was probably just depth that hurt us, but we’ll have a lot more players to call on now.”

The first-grade team also has former NRL player Craig Field back for another year at the helm.

Field coached reserve grade to a premiership in 2024 and is determined to take the team to finals this season.

“Craig is very good at what he does, and he’s obviously bought a lot of knowledge to the place,” Cox said.

“It helps when you can get coaches to commit for a couple of years. He said he’d hang around for three years, and we’re grateful for everything he’s done.”

The northern end of the competition will be strong again this season with local derbies against Bilambil and Cudgen among the season highlights.

Murwillumbah is coming off a grand final appearance last year, while the Tweed Coast Raiders are expecting to have a big season.

The Seagulls are also building on its women’s rugby league program.

Tweed entered the NRRRL competition last season to help develop and give its juniors a pathway to keep them at the club.

“With the men’s teams, we’ve got tough teams every week. I think it’s going to be one of the better competitions this year,” Cox said.

“The women’s tackle program is going very well, and I expect we’ll keep building there once they get a few games under their belt.”