Title-winning former Queensland Red Bryce Hegarty is the classy wildcard who could shape which clubs make the StoreLocal Hospital Cup semi-finals.
His GPS side may have too much to do from sixth spot but who really knows over the three rounds to come before the finals.
At the very least, GPS will help decide who does make the play-offs and in what positions with matches to finish against Wests (July 26), fourth-placed Bond University (August 2) and leaders Easts (August 9).
Hegarty, 32, was a surprise face in the GPS ranks for their 52-31 victory over Norths last weekend at Ashgrove.
He has been based with Red Hurricanes Osaka in Japan but answered the call to help out at struggling GPS with a few games at the tail of the season.
Hegarty savour a career high in 2021 when fullback in the Reds team that won the Super Rugby AU title in front of more than 40,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium.
His calm direction from flyhalf made all the difference to GPS last weekend.
“Matty Cockbain is (assistant) coaching down at GPS. He gave me a call and I was happy to help out,” Hegarty, 32, said.
“It’s a cool comp in Brisbane. I’ve considered myself a GPS player without playing more than a handful of games over the last 10 years so it was good to play.”
The well-travelled Hegarty has more than 100 Super Rugby games in his kit bag from stints with the Melbourne Rebels, NSW Waratahs, Reds and Western Force.
There’s been time playing in England and Japan and his pro days are not yet over. He also has plenty to fall back on with a law degree completed remotely while playing in Japan.
The timing worked out perfectly for GPS because Hegarty was back home for the birth of his second daughter Summer on June 27.
Easts (56 points), Wests (55) and Brothers (53) have skated ahead to lock up the top three spots but the order is still to be settled.
Bond’s 29-26 upset of Brothers last weekend has catapulted the Bull Sharks into fourth with Souths (35) and GPS (31), Norths (31) and University of Queensland (30) now in pursuit.
Bond do have the easiest run to the semi-finals on paper with Sunnybank, GPS and Norths to play but matches are never won on paper.
GOLF GIRLS HELP LAUNCH WPGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Queensland Reds Piper Flynn and Renae Nona were happy to stretch their golf skills to help launch the 2026 Australian WPGA Championships.
The pair were involved in a Beach Bunker Challenge when the tournament dates of March 19-22 were unveiled this week at the Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club.
Flynn is such a recent golf devotee, she hadn’t really played out of bunkers before. She always has a crack which has been evident throughout her breakout season on the wing for the Reds and Australia A.
Flynn and Nona joined players from AFLW and NRLW plus surfer Sierra Kerr to trumpet the WPGA's return at The Palms course at Sanctuary Cove plus the Festival of Golf the same week.
