JACKSON 2
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
They’re a few members short of 5 and there’s no Michael… But Jackson 2 is a new Mendi Blackhawks band making some noise. Ok, so they’re more of a duo than group but Kane Jackson and Jackson Owen are a pair of pleased players, after both made their club debuts in last weekend’s win over Souths Logan. The latter was only recruited late last month while former Falcon Kane spent most of pre-season returning to full fitness from a long layoff.
When Kane Jackson ran out against the Magpies it was hist first Hostplus Cup appearance in more than 13 months, after he suffered a lisfranc injury while playing for Sunshine Coast. The centre’s selection came later than he had hoped due to the Mendi Blackhawks brilliant start to 2025 but breaking into the team was well earned.
“I had to bide my time but to get their chance it definitely made it so much sweeter, I felt a little bit rusty and nervous but once you have that first hit up and make that first tackle you feel back in the swing of things.”
Partnering with winger Kalifa Faifai Loa was a special moment for the nephew of Brent Tate.
“Yeah Kalifa told me he played inside Brent at the Cowboys way back when he started playing footy so to have that connection was pretty cool.”
With strong competition across the backline, Kane concedes staying in the side will be a tough task, but he’s embracing the challenge.
“I think it’s just doing your job and doing it well. Doing all the one percenters. The team is big on effort plays so you know, the things that you might not see on the highlights reels, but it’s making sure you do all them and just playing good footy.”
Canberran Jackson Owen played 18 games for Tweed Heads in 2024 but when he wasn’t getting a look in at the start of the Seagulls campaign this year, his nation’s capital connections came in handy.
“I knew Stucks (Josh Stuckey) and Izzy (Isaiah Latu) and watching them as a young kid kind of coming through, they were the boys you’d see on the weekend playing first grade. And I knew Campo down there while he was playing for the Queanbeyan Blues, so got in contact with him and he said to come up and just keep working and there might be an opportunity.”
An opportunity which arrived sooner than expected for the forward fresh off a knee clean out. With Townsville’s middle stocks somewhat depleted for Sunday’s showdown at Davies Park in Brisbane the new recruit was thrust back into Hostplus Cup action.
I found out that Wednesday before that I’d be making my club debut, and yeah bit of cobwebs blown out but yeah to be playing Cup again is unreal and yeah just hopefully keep adding the games up now.
Next up a powerful PNG…
“Yeah it’s going to be pretty big, I played them home and away last year and it’s a game that’s easy to get up for but your body’s going to be pretty sore after it.”
The Mendi Blackhawks host the Hunters in Friday night footy at Jack Manski Oval. Kick off is at 6.30.
