Blackhawks are back in force for Trial one
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
It’s back to business as usual at Townsville & Districts Mendi Blackhawks home base of Jack Manski Oval as the squad prepares for their first home game of 2016. On Saturday The Mendi Blackhawks will take on the Northern Pride in four matches ranging from Under 16’s through to Intrust Super Cup.
The Intrust Super Cup team have been busily preparing for their first match of the year and Coach Kristian Woolf says that his players are chomping at the bit to get on the field, “I know all our players are really looking forward to getting a hit out this weekend after a typically tough pre-season. I am also looking forward to seeing how some new players fit into our team and push for spots come round 1.” He said.
The seventeen players named includes familiar faces from last year’s inaugural team such as Michael Parker-Walshe, Anthony Mitchell, Captain Daniel Beasley, Glenn Hall, Lorenzo Maafu and Samsen O’Neill. However Woolf has also injected some new blood in the form of new recruits Delouise Hoeter, Willie Minoga, Sam Foster and Temone Power. Warhorse Neville Costigan and exciting new outside back Hezron Murgha both remain on the injured list and have been ruled out of the first trial.
Two stars of last year’s Mendi Blackhawks campaign, Moses Pangai and Rhyse Martin will be missing from the line up as they will be taking their chance to trial with the North Queensland Cowboys in their pre-season match against the Brisbane Broncos in Bundaberg.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for Moses and Rhyse and I certainly encourage them to make the most of it. I believe both players have the potential to play first grade and this is a great opportunity for them to show what they have to offer at that next level.” Woolf said.
In a huge day for rugby league The Townsville Blackhawks Cyril Connell and Mal Meninga squads will be making their debut in the black and green colours at 2:30pm and 4:00pm respectively. There will be a special match at 5:30pm which will give some up-and-comers a chance to strut their stuff with a mixture of Under 20s and Intrust Super Cup squad members making up both the Townsville Mendi Blackhawks and the Northern Pride teams.
The Mendi Blackhawks Development squad, who have been training every Monday with the Intrust Super Cup squad since Christmas, includes a healthy mix of players from local sides Western Lions, Norths, Charters Towers, Burdekin, Brothers, Centrals and Herbert River; as well as Intrust Super Cup contracted players, Troy Kapea, Lona Kaifoto, Kieran Quabba and David Munro.
Coach Woolf is excited about the prospect of discovering fresh talent in the local Townsville & Districts Rugby League Competition, “It’s a squad of strong performers and some new comers to our local competition, blokes we wanted to see a bit more of in good company. We would love to be able to find another Rhys Matsen, who came through our Development Squad last season and ended up playing in the Intrust Super Cup Grand Final.”
Tickets will be available at the gate on the day of the game and the program is as follows:
- 2:30PM – CYRIL CONNELL – Townsville Blackhawks vs Northern Pride
- 4:00PM – MAL MENINGA – Townsville Blackhawks vs Northern Pride
- 5:30PM – SENIOR DEVELOPMENT SQUAD – Townsville & Districts Mendi Blackhawks vs Northern Pride
- 7:00PM – INTRUST SUPER CUP – Townsville & Districts Mendi Blackhawks vs Northern Pride
“It will be a great day for the club, it’s our first opportunity to present four matches under our club banner. We had a fantastic inaugural season and we are now moving into a positive new era with the Under 16’s, 18’s and the Development Squad forming a real pathway for rugby league in the region.” Woolf said.
Trial 1 – Saturday 6th February 2016 7:00pm
Intrust Super Cup
TOWNSVILLE & DISTRICTS MENDI BLACKHAWKS
- Jonathon Reuben
- Lenny Magey
- Connor Carey
- Delouise Hoeter
- Samsen O’Neill
- Sam Foster
- Michael Parker-Walshe
- Daniel Beasley
- Anthony Mitchell
- Corey Jensen
- Lorenzo Ma’afu
- Noel Underwood
- Glenn Hall
- Nathan Norford
- Andrew Niemoeller
- Willie Minoga
- Temone Power
Senior Development Squad
Saturday 6th February 5:30pm
TOWNSVILLE & DISTRICTS MENDI BLACKHAWKS
- Peter Boniface (Norths)
- Josh Mene (Charters Towers)
- Bree-an Munns (Western Lions)
- Kurt Perry (Burdekin)
- Aiden McCullum (Brothers)
- Cody Snow (Centrals)
- Brenn Foster (Brothers)
- Troy Kapea
- Lona Kaifoto
- Lloyd McIvor (Brothers)
- Kieran Quabba
- Dylan Jensen (Burdekin)
- David Munro
- Ben Stamford (Herbert River)
- Kimi Pakipaki-Hemopo (Centrals)
- Halvor Harris (Centrals)
- Cade Maloney (Brothers)
- Andrew Quabba (Herbert River)
- Klane Stone (Norths)
