Edene Gebbie

In the grand final last Saturday, 30th July, Eddene Gebbie’s second-half tries helped Townsville, co-coached by Maroons legend Matt Bowen, become the first north team to win the championship, after Brisbane claimed the inaugural title last year for the south-east.
Growing up in Sogeri, Gebbie loved to watch former North Queensland Cowboys and Maroons flyer Bowen in action.

For a young speedster, there was no better idol to have in rugby league.

Fast forward to today and Gebbie is living out a childhood dream, as he learns from the man himself in Townsville’s representative team.

Gebbie was selected for the side in April, when they overcame Mackay and Cairns to take out this year’s XXXX Foley Shield.

This Saturday, July 30, he will now look to lead Townsville all the way to the state title, when they take on the Gold Coast in the XXXX League Championship grand final.

The winner will take the first spot in the grand final on Sunday September 29^th.

Gebbie has stamped his mark in the finals series with two tries in the first week of the finals when the Seagulls lost to the Burleigh Bears 34 – 32, and a try last week when they defeated the Redcliffe Dolphins.

Gebbie is one of the most potent attacking backs in the game leading the competition in Tackle Breaks (152), Run Metres (4,186 metres), Kick Return Metres (1,071 metres) and has scored 18 tries in 20 appearances in 2019.

Wynnum are one of the in-form teams of the competition and have won five of their past six games.

Though they will be a tough team to beat this afternoon at the BMD Kougari Oval, the SP PNG Hunters are still going in all guns blazing as their 2019 Intrust Super Season winds down to a close.

The Seagulls sit in second place on the Queensland Intrust Super Cup ladder. 

Club CEO Hannan Laban said his boys have a real chance of making the finals.

Rhadley Brawa is currently on break but is excitedly looking forward to resuming training with his new club – the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

The former SP Hunters superstar never once dreamt that he would be part of an NRL feeder club this early in his career.

The 28-year-old, from a mixed parentage of Teremanda in Enga, and Sinesine in Simbu, was both surprised and humbled when he was informed by the SP Hunters coaching staff that the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, a Broncos feeder club, was interested in him.

Putt and Brawa left on Sunday afternoon, while Gebbie had left earlier for Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

PNG internationals Gebbie and Brawa have signed with Wynnum Manly Seagulls while former teammate Nixon Putt has joined the Norths Devils.

23-year-old Koiari man Gebbie has attracted attention with his energy and swift play – a large feat considering he’s a debutant in the Intrust Super Cup 2018 season.

His performance has earned him a Hunters rookie of the year award.

On its website, the club said both players have recently been involved in tests for the Kumuls side against the England Knights and the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII.

“Brawa (27 years old) is a highly respected member of the PNG Hunters side and was named the club’s Players’ Player of the Year at their 2018 awards night.

“The lock forward is a strong leader on and off the field, and plays with a high level of toughness and determination. Brawa gets through a mountain of work in the middle, averaging 115 run metres and 37 tackles per game.