Backline dasher Will McCulloch will make his long-awaited comeback for Norths against leaders Easts on Saturday in the StoreLocal Hospital Cup.
The Australian Under-20s representative of 2024 is feeling fit and ready to contribute to the Eagles’ challenge for a top four spot over the second half of the season.
He has beaten a persistent groin injury to re-emerge bigger and faster after a diligent period in rehab as part of the Queensland Reds squad.
McCulloch will play at 90kg this season.
“It’s been frustrating being out for nearly a year but the body is feeling good. I’m just keen to get out there and rip in for Norths,” McCulloch said.
“I’ve got down to club trainings and games quite a bit to show support.
“Last week’s win was unreal over Bond Uni because it’s never an easy place to win on the Gold Coast.
“Experienced guys like Harry Langbridge and Connor O’Regan have been doing a really good job of marshalling the team around and a lot of young guys are stepping up.”
McCulloch will make his return at fullback at Hugh Courtney Oval.
He will have an instant chemistry with Alex Flanagan Smith, who has starred in the back three this season.
The pair are good mates from their time together at Padua College where they swapped in and out of the fullback jersey in 2021.
BOND GIRLS ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF THE WOMEN'S GAME
The Bond Uni girls who have dominated for a three-peat of premierships are changing the face of the women’s game.
It makes for a fascinating season ahead with seemingly multiple clubs in with a chance at winning the StoreLocal Founders Cup when it kicks off on Saturday for a seven-match sprint to finals.
Easts (twice) and Sunnybank have fielded bigger packs, with more set piece power, in each of those three grand finals against Bond and come up short.
The Bull Sharks have harnessed smaller players with greater speed, and the counter-attacking knack of players from sevens backgrounds, to set up their triumphs.
Never underestimate the quality of the forwards that go with that because three-time premiership-winner Zoe Hanna has been a standout in the backrow among others.
Sunnybank’s Ana Drotini said the 2024 minor premiers have had to re-think their methods based on three years of coming up short.
“We have played a forward-heavy game and Bond have burnt us on the edge for sure,” Drotini admitted.
“We experimented a bit with how we play during the Challenge Cup and introduced some newer talent. Maybe, you will see us play wider footy this season.”
Now there’s a challenge. It will be interesting to see how the Dragons do play it because halfback spark Ana Afuie will be there with zinc cream splashed across her face, rain or shine.
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN'
Some considerate young fans go to extra lengths.
One group were so keen to get boots as a souvenir from favourite Ryan Smith they tried to organise in advance of the Reds vs Fijian Drua game.
“Smithy” happily surprised them by passing on his match-worn boots when he attended the Triple M Precinct Bar shortly after full-time when still in his kit.
The fans were so thoughtful they had a pair of new thongs as a gift so lock Smith had something to wear on the walk back to the dressing room.
WHY SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC HAS BEEN A HIT
Professor Dimitri Perrin has extracted some fascinating figures from the Super Rugby Pacific regular season.
His role as the Queensland Reds Head of Data Science has been a fruitful one and an excellent collaboration with partner QUT where he is Co-Director of the QUT Centre for Data Science.
The surge in popularity and engagement for a strong Super Rugby season does have reasons behind it.
Crowds at Suncorp Stadium were up 10 per cent for Reds home games which helped feed a competition-wide lift in attendance of six per cent even with seven less games because of the demise of the Melbourne Rebels. Stan Sport has reported a 27 per cent increase in average audience.
So what are the reasons?
Professor Perrin extracted two key markers.
Matches have been tighter to the point there have been an average of 4.1 lead changes per match, more than half the games (54.2 per cent) have had a lead change in the second half and 26.4 per cent of games have had a lead change in the final 10 minutes.
Extend that to unpredictability with nearly half the games (48.6 per cent) flipping a result from 2024.
ABC Radio continues its season-long coverage for the Qualifying Final with a live call on 612AM Brisbane and the ABC Listen App (Sport Extra button).
