Rugby League Townsville and District men's A grade club-club preview

Townsville this weekend becomes the second senior league in the QRL North region to kick off their competition for 2024.

Here's what you can look forward to from every club taking the field in A grade this season.

Souths Bulls

Men

Coach: Mitchell Grimes & Andy Walters 

Captain: Shaun Nona (pictured)

Signings/retains: Shaun Nona (retained), Curtis Dempsey (retained) and young players like Tajshon Messa-Santo, Declan Dowson and Jamaine Stanley have all impressed in the preseason.

Player losses: Jack Johnson (Norths Devils), Nathan Traill (retired), Cathane Hill (Sydney Roosters pathways), Xavier Hellyer (Brisbane Tigers Mal Meninga Cup), Terry Conners (Burdekin), Brenton Martin (Centrals)

How will your team improve on 2024?

I think we will see improvements from our younger brigade who made there A Grade debuts in '23.

What can fans expect from your game style?

An entertaining brand of footy.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Brothers. Michael Parker-Walshe is a great coach and a great leader of men.

Western Lions

Coach: Jacob Bourke

Captain: Daniel Buckland

Signings/retains: Addo Waianga (Brothers), Brett Anderson (Norths), Brayden Ross, Zach Diplock, Daniel Buckland

Player losses: Jonathan van Aswegen, Dale Ambrym, Kayleb Vosseler (injury), George Lacey (injury)

How will your side improve in 2024?

More creativity and options when attacking at both ends. Tighten and solidify our defence, especially around the ruck.

What can fans expect from your game style?

A much-improved effort. Our effort areas and one per cent areas have been woeful the last couple of years and that’s what we have been focusing on.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Lions, for obvious reasons.

Herbert River Crushers

Coach: Todd Cockburn

Captain: Aaron Solari (pictured)

Signings/retains: Eliot Zenon (Snowy River Bears), Enzo Delbe (Catalans reserves), Enzo Deltiel, Will Clapham (UK), Tom Lee (UK)

Player losses: None

How will your team improve on 2024?

Defensively and squad depth. We have more variation in players this season and hope to see that squad depth that we aim to have. 

What can fans expect from your game style?

Attention to detail, toughness and skill.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Brothers. Depth and quality are always the benchmark to beat. 

Charters Towers Miners

Coach: Rob Hall

Captain: Tai Laidlow

Signings/retains: Jaman Rio, Matua Robinson, Joel Baldwin, Josh Abbott, Corey Walker, Blake Heitmann, Josh Radford, Harry McQueen, Tai Laidlow

Player losses: Mitch Burton, Adam Shaw (retired)

How will your team improve in 2024?

We aren’t so much looking to improve but to build on the confidence we took out of returning to the finals in 2023 and a young squad that is hungry to get back there and go further.

What can fans expect from your game style?

We are a working-class team from a working-class community so we will be high energy and effort every week, but we also have some young exciting outside backs that will ensure the Snake Pit has plenty to cheer for at the home games. If we continue to be a team that works hard for each other then we will be a team our sponsors, supporters and community get right behind.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Souths. They were grand finalists and have recruited well again. They will have plenty of depth to keep them at the pointy end of the competition come September.

Townsville Brothers

Coach: Michael Parker-Walshe

Captain: Faron Morris and Chippie Korostchuk

Signings/retains: Lachlan Lerch, Sean Bourke, Faron Morris, Chippie Korostchuk, Ty Carucci

Player losses: Nathan Norford (retired), Joe Boyce (retired), Sione Lousi (retired), Ado Waianga (Western Lions), Joseph Price (Sunshine Coast Falcons)

How will your team improve in 2024?

No response.

What can fans expect from your game style?

We have a young team in 2024, so we will be looking to use their enthusiasm and energy to play an up tempo fast paced style of footy.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Souths. Their roster looks to be the most experienced in the competition.

Centrals Tigers

Coach: Robert Lui and Troy Buchanan

Captains: Clancy Kersh and Maverick Pegoraro

Signings/retains: Matthew Wright, Jesse Yallop, Tyreece Woods, Braydon Bin Doraho, Clancy Kersh, Ethan Andrews

Player losses: Halvor Harris (retired), Matthew Bonanno (retired), Scott Evans  (injury), Robert Lui (retired)

How will your team improve in 2024?

Reaching the semi-finals last year will provide a great platform for 2024. The club has been fortunate to gain players who will provide extra stability and attack to the club. Having the experience of former NRL and Super League player Robert Lui as coach will provide great knowledge and experience to the club.

What can fans expect from your game style?

With a mixture of youth and experience, Centrals are looking to play an exciting style of rugby league. For many of our current players, last year was their first taste of A grade and that experience will hold them in good stead for the season.  Centrals has always been built around courage, determination and mateship and this will continue to be key values for 2024.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Brothers continue to be the team to beat. 2024 will be the most even competition we have seen for a long time.  All games will be difficult and this will make for an exciting season.

Norths Devils

Coach: Pou Lieua

Captain: Andrew Niemoeller (pictured)

Signings/retains: Afa Faavae (Wellington Orcas), Ethan Edwards, Bayley Draper, Ashton Leiua

Player losses: Michael Carroll (Souths), Christian Barbou (Souths)

How will your team improve in 2024?

We'll definitely be competitive. We were last year and we definitely want to go on with that. We did lose a few players that moved clubs, that's made our job tougher, but we've recruited well and our preseason went well, so we're looking ahead.

What can fans expect from your game style?

We've concentrated a lot on our defence this preseason and in our trial games.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Every team is going to be tough for us. We do want to get a good win on the tougher teams like Brothers or Souths and that's a big goal for us.

Burdekin Roosters

Captain: Joel Mason, Ethan Hagarty

Coach: Steve Lansley

Signings/retains: Tate Broumbal (Warwick), Christian Gale, Jones Munro, Aden Stephens

Player losses: Ryan Davenport (retired)

How will your team improve in 2024?

Trying to build up our juniors to senior level is an important thing for us.

What can fans expect from your game style?

Fast. We've got a very young A grade side and they're very agile. Just watching their performances in the trials, they're a quick side that will run those big fellas around I think.

Who is the team to beat and why?

You can't go past Brothers. They've got a good side again and they just seem to always be there.