Tamborine Mountain Bushrats coach Todd Tasker said a strong defensive performance set the tone for the team’s opening round victory, as the side began its season with an impressive win over Mudgeeraba Redbacks
The Bushrats held their opponents scoreless for much of the match, eventually running out 46–4 winners after keeping Mudgeeraba out for the first 65 minutes.
Tasker, who once played for the club, said the defensive resilience was a direct result of the focus placed on that area throughout the preseason.
“We had a strong three weeks of preseason until Christmas and then came back from the second week of January,” Tasker said.
“We just dug in deep and I’m just trying to instil what we used to do when we last won the competition in 2023.”
While confident in the team’s attacking ability, Tasker said tightening up defensively had been a key priority.
“I knew what the boys had in attack, it was just getting that defence right,” he said.
“Seeing that on the weekend and holding Mudgeeraba out to 40–0 for the 65 minutes before they scored was pretty amazing to be honest.”
Despite the strong result, Tasker said consistency would be the challenge as the season progressed.
“It’s a matter now of doing it week by week and not letting that just be the one game that we do it,” he said.
The Bushrats squad still features a core group of experienced players, including several who were part of the club’s premiership-winning side in 2023.
Tasker said many of those players were approaching the latter stages of their playing careers, adding extra motivation for the season ahead.
“It’s good that they’ve stuck around. It’s probably going to be their last year,” he said.
“For me, that’s what I want to be a part of. I want to send those boys out with another grand final.”
While pleased with the start to the year, Tasker said the focus remained on the long season ahead.
“It’s looking really good at the moment,” he said.
“But it’s only round one and there’s still 18 rounds to go.”
