After four years without finals football, Eastern Suburbs looked from within at the end of last season for a change of fortune, and to someone who had the fabric of the club running through his veins.

From the outside looking in, taking up the reins at Sydney University after they’ve just missed out on finals football for the first time in 19 years, and given the increased levels of competition to contend with in the 2018 Intrust Super Shute Shield, seemed a daunting proposition.

There were some positive omens yesterday for University of Queensland ahead of Sunday’s Hospital Challenge Cup Final clash with GPS, with the ‘Red Heavies’ dominating the end of season awards at the Queensland Premier Rugby Grand Final breakfast.