By Beth Newman
It’s pretty easy to spot Sam Bourke on the field.
But it wasn’t just his free-flowing mullet drawing attention against Sandgate, with Bourke one of the pivotal players in the Lions’ second-half resurgence at Salk Oval.
After a relatively slow start, Bourke stood up in the second, and was a rock at full back, taking plenty of crucial marks.
Bourke found a new home in defence late last season, after previously spending most of his time on the wing.
It’s a position he’s still getting used to, but he said he was happy to play wherever coach, Daryn Cresswell, put him.
“Been the spot I’ve played since finals last year,” he said.
“That’s where Cressa likes to play me. It’s pretty good.”
The Geelong product is in his second season at Palm Beach and said he was loving life on the Gold Coast.
Bourke has been in and out of the Lions a bit this season but said he was aiming to cement a senior spot as the finals draw nearer.
“I just want to get my fitness and hopefully do really well in finals,” he said.
The 24 year-old said last weekend’s win over the Hawks had injected plenty of confidence and energy into the Lions’ group heading into a massive clash with Wilston Grange this weekend.
“Everyone’s really up and about (after that win),” he said.
“We’re real good chance to take it out this year I’d say.
“It was a massive win, because it gives us a good chance to finish on top and get the week off going into finals.”
Cresswell praised Bourke’s second-half efforts after Saturday’s match.”
“He was terrific down back,” he said.
After the first quarter, we readjusted a bit and I thought our whole defence played well in the second half.”
