The XXXX Foley Shield is all set for kickoff in Townsville on Saturday, with six games over three days deciding which league can claim men's and women's supremacy in North Queensland.
The Arch Foley Memorial Shield has been handed over since 1948 when an inter-town competition was formalised in honour of the rugby league revolutionary of the north.
Townsville enters the competition on home turf, and they will be filled with confidence following their Men’s and Women’s sides being crowned victors in last years iteration of the competition.
Incumbent head coach of Townsville Men’s side, Michael Parker-Walshe, believes that his squad won’t have any championship hangover entering the 2025 iteration of the Foley Shield.
“I’m not focused on last year, what’s done is and done and we know that we need to play good footy, if we can defend well and score points then everything else will take care of itself.” Said Parker-Walshe.
“Our fullback Declan Dowson is from South Bulls here in Townsville. He’s been one of the form players in A-Grade here, and he’s been rewarded with a Townsville Blackhawks deal in their fulltime training squad, he’s just going from strength to strength at the moment.”
In addition to Dowson, Parker-Walshe is also confident about the cohesion within his spine.
“We have a good balance of experience and youth there, our spine is a strength of ours and we’ll be looking to them to create points and hold us together when we have possession.”
Before coaching, Parker-Walshe was a great player in his own right, having been contracted with the North Queensland Cowboys and having played for the Townsville Blackhawks.
His playing days also included lived experience competing in the Foley Shield, and to him the best part of the competition is the rivalries that get set aside in search of one common goal.
“I loved how the rivalries you have against players or players from other teams disappear when you play alongside them in the same team. For me it was always about embracing the fact that you can have fun with players you otherwise never get to play with.” Said Parker-Walshe
“It’s always a great event and hopefully the players we have turning out for us this year can really enjoy it, as well as enjoying the company of the boys on the weekend while playing some good footy.”
XXXX Foley Shield - Everything you need to know
What: XXXX Foley Shield - Men and Women
When: Saturday, May 3 to Monday, May 5
Where: Townsville Sports Reserve, Townsville
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
Schedule
*All games played at Townsville Sports Reserve
Saturday May 3
5:00pm - Townsville Women vs Cairns Women
6:30pm - Townsville Men vs Cairns Men
Sunday May 4
12:30pm - Mackay Women vs Cairns Women
2:00pm - Mackay Men vs Cairns Men
Monday May 5
12:30pm - Mackay Women vs Townsville Women
2:00pm - Mackay Men vs Townsville Men
Squads
Cairns Women
Lisa Waireg, Ferlene David, Lakeisha Ulutui, Caitlin Wark, Kemo Wamala, Ashlyn Skeene, Angelina Brim, Jarketta Smith, Rachel Abednego, Kara Tabuai, Rylee Wallace, Aerielle Hobbler, Briannah Cater, Lisa Sire, Jytte Wallace, Meroma McKeown, Mary-Sha Mairu, Mia Eteru, Tanaya Blanco-Burns, Layla Geck
Mackay Women
Leila Murphy-Doyle, Anthea Campbell, Silia Sakalia, Jackie Oberlueter, Shirlie Luke, Alycia Taylor Hansson, Shaylah Barba, Claire Oberlueter, Paityne Johns, Sharne Adams, Lilla Hoffman, Eve Doull, Ataliah Love, Lara Hutchinson, Abbey Rose Bowman, Kyrho Faulkner, Angel Kapeli, Clarissa Baira, Brydie Ikin
Townsville Women
Lillee Rodighiero, Kaiontae Ross, Martina Monday, Niquita Peters, Ashlyn Hoey, Latisha Kaitap, Angela Solomon, Chloe Watson, Piper Godfrey, Theophelia Mosby-Nona, Julia Douglas, Jahntae Mara, Jordii Mahendrarajah, Emma Hannigan, Mateeka Nielson, Amanda Baker, Adele Jensen, Jenna Poole, Courtney Reynolds
Cairns Men
Liam O'Brien, Shamish O'Quinn, Damien Walker, Bradley Stephen, Jirra Twist, James Frazer, Rhylee Herd, Paea Pua, Jayden Connors, Feao Tongia, Samuel Cramp, Zane Knowles, Jhidan Dikes, Wade Smith, Terence Anau-Sailor, Caleb Dally, Ammiel Harris, Michael Morton, Kaleb Eaton, Jarvis Yeatman
Mackay Men
Kyle Kennedy, Jimmy Ngutlik, Dario Takitaki, Kane Linnett, Rory Woodall, Augustus Rangihuna, Brad Campbell, Titan Sega, Kyle Barnwell, Josh Honan, Tom McNulty, Nathan Cullen, Mason Thorpe, Josh Natoli, Henry Thorpe, Uriah Tuli, Alfie Schulz, Zane McKellar, Braythen Porter, Sheldon Diaz
Townsville Men
Declan Dowson, Jesse Pascoe, Kane Jackson, Kyle Laybutt, Samuel Martin-Savage, Trey Valentine, Curtis Dempsey, Faron Morris, Tajshon Messa-Santo, Jordon Ahone Remfrey, Michael Carroll, Lachlan Lerch, Josh Abbott, Josh Radford, Blake Heitmann, Josh Williams, Jaelen Feeney, Shaun Nona, Marcus Nona, David Mills-Prior
