The Townsville Blackhawks will finetune for the upcoming Hostplus Cup with two trials in the leadup to their 2022 season campaign.
Townsville will take on Northern Pride across five grades in the Far North on March 5, with the same five teams teams travelling south the following weekend for a Bowen battle against Mackay Cutters on March 12.
Blackhawks football operations manager, Adrian Thomson was pleased the competition matches scheduled to take place on Jack Manski Oval on the same day were able to be taken on the road.
“We’ve managed to convince the QRL to take the under 19 girls, the under 18 and under 16 teams, who were drawn to play here, to Bowen, to coincide with the Hasting Deering Colts and Hostplus Cup sides playing trials," Thomson said.
Thomson was also anticipating a strong turnout for the footy feast at Denison Park.
“It’s right on the fringe of both areas, so we hope that they support the Mendi Blackhawks more than Mackay, but at the end of the day, it’ll be a good day of football,” Thomson said.
Plenty of players will get their chance to impress Blackhawks coach Aaron Payne prior to him selecting his side for Townsville’s Round 1 match against defending premiers Norths Devils.
Match: Blackhawks v Devils
Round 1 -
home Team
Blackhawks
14th Position
away Team
Devils
1st Position
Venue: Jack Manski Oval, Townsville
Payne however won’t be able name some of his key personnel.
“There’s about six or seven of our regulars who'll be sidelined from off-season surgery, and won’t partake in the first part of the season, so it’s a good opportunity for some blokes to continue to train well and hopefully trial well, and they might find themselves in a Hostplus Cup game, in the first few rounds,” Payne said.
Payne was pleased the Blackhawks were able to lock in back-to-back trials leading into their season opener.
“Last season, due to weather, we didn’t get a traditional week off leading into the season and we started it well, so I think it’s a good preparation to hit the ground running come Round 1.”
