Easts are chasing a much-needed win over GPS on Saturday afternoon to avoid being niggled as the club with a premiership hangover.
The Tigers celebrated a heady “six-from-six" march in grand finals late last year and followed that up with a spirited 14-13 win over Gordon for the Australian Club Championship last month.
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Nothing has really clicked since then with a surprise 24-17 loss to Sunnybank in the opening round of the Allsports Physiotherapy Hospital Challenge Cup in Brisbane.
That preceded last weekend’s 36-14 tumble to Bond University which has left the Tigers at 0-2 entering this game against unbeaten GPS (2-0) at Bottomley Park.
“It’s not been the ideal start but we’ve been honest about it being our own poor discipline which has killed us in terms of penalties,” Easts captain Tom Milosevic said.
“We lost two players to yellow cards against Bond and gave away something like 28 penalties and advantages during the game which you just can’t do.
“We’ve stripped everything back to basics and we’ll go into this match against GPS full of confidence back at our home ground.”
Young hooker Zac Crothers is back while Henry Olsen and Will Beirne are the new backrowers to replace Reds duo Liam Wright and Seru Uru.
At No.10, Logan Tibbetts will run the show with Jack Frampton moving to fullback.
GPS have made a solid start to the season under new coach Shane Arnold.
The Gallopers will be looking for a new No.10 after Saturday because AJ Alatimu is joining Major League Rugby in the US.
Up front, GPS have the services of the sizeable Emosi Tuqiri, the Marist College Ashgrove product who has never looked fitter now he’s with the Melbourne Rebels.
Tuqiri will start at prop for the first time this season.
Elsewhere in Brisbane, the 2-0 Bond boys visit Oldmac Oval to face 1-0 Sunnybank.
In Sunday’s only game at 3.45pm, Wests (1-0) get a boost again from their Queensland Reds squad players because centre Isaac Henry, backrower Keynan Tauakipulu and game-breaking halfback Moses Sorovi will play against Souths (0-2) at Sci-Fleet Stadium.
At St Lucia, University of Queensland (2-0) meet Norths ( 0-2).
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