The Foley Shield was reintroduced last season with the Mendi Townsville and District Blackhawks taking out the time-honoured competition after a tough battle with Mackay.
The Cutters were hot on their heels all season and if one game had gone the other way, the result may have come down to the last Intrust Super Cup game.
In 2018, the QRL Northern Division and the three Intrust Super Cup clubs based in North Queensland (namely the Kenfrost Homes / Mt Peter Estate Northern Pride, the Mendi Group Townsville and District Blackhawks and the QCCS Mackay Cutters) have agreed to participate once again in the Foley Shield as a three-tiered competition that involves the Under 18, Under 20 and A Grade teams of the 3 Intrust Super Cup clubs.
As an addition, this year there will also be A Grade teams from the Townsville, Cairns and Mackay competitions participating in the Foley Shield.
They will play a round robin carnival on the weekend of May 5-6 in Townsville which will also double as a North Queensland Marlins selection trial.
The first game kicks off in Mackay on March 10 where the Cutters will take on the Blackhawks at BB Print Stadium in all three grades.
Other notable dates are:
Saturday, March 24: Blackhawks host the Pride at Jack Manski in three grades
Saturday, March 31: Pride host the Cutters at Barlow Park in three grades
Saturday, June 16: Blackhawks host Cutters in Intrust Super Cup
Sunday, June 30: Pride host the Blackhawks in Intrust Super Cup
Saturday, August 11: Cutters host the Pride in Intrust Super Cup
