The Gold Coast Eagles' 2nd grade side will carry the club's finals hopes alone into Sunday's Minor Semi Final against Griffith Uni Knights, after the Eagles' 1st grade side narrowly missed out on the post season last weekend.
It's a big ask for skipper Thomas Greenough and his side, with the Knights qualifying across all three grades this year and offering no shortage of depth to call on.
Ahead of kickoff, we caught up with Greenough to reflect on the season and preview the knockout clash.
Thomas: The goal is always to win the comp. But aside from that we are here to have fun and enjoy playing. I'm proud of what this team has achieved so far this year.
Thomas: No, not at all. We are gutted the 1s won't be joining us in post season, but we know they will be fully behind us with their support.
Thomas: We learnt resilience. It was a tough game and we rallied right to the end as a team to get the win. Knights always impress me with their persistence. Every game is a battle from start to finish.
Thomas: It's hard to pick out specific players, but I'd say the whole front row has stood out this year. Playing full games most weeks and just getting on with their jobs. As we all know, they're a different breed of player.
Thomas: It means everything to the club. Finals are a big reason we turn up each week and give 100%. It's the result of the hard work of everyone involved in the club.
Thomas: The belief that we can win the game, but also that finals are a different beast. Forget about the results in the regular season and focus on the game ahead.
The Eagles face the Knights this Sunday in the Minor Semi Final (1:10pm at Coomera), with a Preliminary Final berth on the line.
