Former Melbourne Rebels skipper Brad Wilkin is to inject his skill into the Easts backrow for the run to the StoreLocal Hospital Cup finals.
His post-season return from the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby (US) has presented the Tigers with a major boost.
Wilkin will start for the Tigers at blindside flanker on Saturday in the key Round 15 clash against Souths at Bottomley Park.
The red-headed backrower made his return to the Tigers off the bench in last weekend’s 50-31 loss to the University of Queensland.
Tigers coach Simon Craig kept in touch with the influential flanker throughout his stint with San Diego and always knew Wilkin was keen to resume with his Brisbane club.
“Brad did some pre-season with us and we were in regular contact during his time in San Diego,” Craig said.
“He’s going to be good for us and for the load our forwards carry over a long season.”
Unfortunately, Wilkin can only chalk up five games before the finals which will leave him one game short of the eligibility level to play any finals games.
“We’ll seek a dispensation and see how it goes,” Craig said.
UQ are in the same boat after welcoming former Chiefs star Tim Nanai-Williams into Premier Grade last weekend against Easts. The club will also seek a dispensation.
Nanai-Williams, 36, recently finished his long and storied professional career with Beziers in France where he played mostly flyhalf.
He had a classy 80-minutes at fullback for UQ last weekend and it could well be where he stays because veteran Teti Tela is clicking at No.10.
It was Uni’s best performance of the season by some way and keeps them in the hunt for a semi-final spot.
Fourth-placed Souths (35 points) have their position under siege with Bond University (32), UQ (30), Norths (30) and even GPS (26) still chasing.
“We changed nothing tactically against Easts. We showed up, improved our maul, improved our breakdown defence and stepped up in those effort areas like diving on loose balls,” UQ coach Elton Berrange said.
“Tim is a great addition. He’s so humble and just drops these nuggets of gold around training,” Berrange added.
Craig is certain of a more switched-on effort from the Tigers on Saturday.
“You know over a long season there is going to be a lemon in there somewhere. That was ours. We were poor in the warm-up and conceding five tries in the second part of the first half just wasn’t us,” Craig said.
“Credit to Uni. I thought that was the best they have played all season.”
FREE-TO-AIR TV COVERAGE OF STORELOCAL HOSPITAL CUP
The countdown to the StoreLocal Hospital Cup semi-finals will feature three more matches on free-to-air TV.
Last weekend’s exciting Brothers vs Wests match was the first.
9Gem will also broadcast Saturday’s Easts vs Souths match plus UQ vs Brothers (August 2) and GPS vs Easts (August 9).
CULTURAL ROUND CELEBRATION AT TIGER TOWN
Like all Premier Rugby clubs, many different cultures make up the Easts rugby family.
Saturday at Bottomley Park has been marked as Cultural Round by the club.
Proud Indigenous duo BJ Oates and Latisha Whalan show off the special jersey struck for Saturday's games against Souths.
REDS PLAYERS TACKLE QUILPIE
Liam Wright and Massimo De Lutiis were proud to represent the Queensland Reds recently in Quilpie.
The players ran a clinic alongside former North Queensland Cowboys NRL player Gavin Cooper and took part in a Q & A session with fans.
The BBQ, Boots and Backing The West community day, hosted by Elders, was all aimed at raising funds for the recovery effort still going on in western Queensland since major flooding.
