https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/baby-surprise-changes-townsville-blackhawks-perspective-for-former-teammates/news-story/344dcaf36a386c0dd8472fac6ab8aabe
AS HIS former New Zealand Warriors teammates relocate to Australia, Sione Lousi is glad he is not in their predicament. Knowing how big on family that community is, the Blackhawks prop appreciates the struggle could be enormous. And with a baby of his own on the way that is more obvious to him now than ever. Lousi and his wife, 2019 Northern Rays vice-captain Brooke Lousi (nee Williams), are set to welcome their first child in October — excitement building by the day. Now as a prospective father, the 30-year-old sees more clearly than ever how heavy the toll family separation could have on the current Warriors group.
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https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/cowboy-lessons-helps-townsville-blackhawks-forward-power-up/news-story/6cb1c9f897232d5545315c40f7bc3ab8
THIS was set to be the year of Temone Power. Having undergone his first pre-season with the North Queensland Cowboys, the 25-year-old had emerged in the fittest shape of his life. But the Townsville Blackhawks forward only had one game to showcase his new-found physique before coronavirus forced the Intrust Super Cup to be cancelled for 2020. Against the Ipswich Jets he churned out 113 running metres and 25 tackles for no misses. It was the lack of missed tackles that illustrated the growth the Bowen product had undergone throughout his time with the Cowboys. Working alongside veterans of his position, such as Queensland Maroons stalwart Gavin Cooper, showed Power the off the ball traits he needed to bring to the table if he wants to figure in NRL squad calculations. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/a-return-to-the-nrl-for-jake-marketo-would-be-dependent-on-circumstances-offered/news-story/0479a97e52fc4123e8936b2cdbd91960
A RETURN to the NRL is not completely off the cards for Jake Marketo — it would simply depend on what opportunity he was presented with. The demise of the 2020 Intrust Super Cup has thrown a curveball at rugby league players across Queensland amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the Townsville Blackhawks’ forward believes sustained time away from the game will give himself every chance to be at his physical prime for the back end of his career. It is the first time since he was five that the now 31-year-old has been without the sport. However as the NRL works towards a May 28 return, with the competition set to be based out of Sydney, teams will not have the ability to build into the shortened season. This could make Marketo’s 52 games of first-grade experience and the no-nonsense consistency he implements into his game paramount to clubs searching for someone to fill a spot on their roster. With fellow Townsville stars Jaelen Feeney and Kyle Laybutt as roommates, motivation to stay fit and on track is never a problem. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/access-for-fans-and-sponsors-will-determine-whether-isc-north-conference-is-a-go-ahead/news-story/c446763d35b181892efc2049a908c383
RUGBY league is on the horizon for North Queensland fans. The four regional Queensland Cup clubs have banded together to lay the foundations of a competition for later this year. While it is still in the early stages of planning, the competition is driven by a desire to get players time on the field and give clubs a goal to work towards. The ‘northern championship’ would include the North Queensland Cowboys three feeder clubs — Townsville Blackhawks, Northern Pride and Mackay Cutters — as well as Central Queensland Capras. While he has backed the concept in initial negotiations, Blackhawks football operations manager Adrian Thomson said it would be imperative that fans could get back in the stands for the competition to be viable. Thomson said the four-club competition needed to be about giving something back to the members and sponsors who have stood by them throughout the coronavirus pandemic. For that to occur, several restrictions on social distancing would need to be lifted — a decision at the discretion of the state government. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/the-townsville-blackhawks-believe-they-are-well-equipped-to-bounce-back-from-financial-crisis/news-story/50d2a33531bee216772d0448616e63fa
THEY may “go backwards to come forward a long way” but the Townsville Blackhawks are adamant they will rise from the pandemic. Funding cuts have been widespread for the club, with the QRL’s decision to cut all finances to Intrust Super Cup teams following the closure of Brothers Leagues Club as the coronavirus situation continues. But according to Blackhawks football operations manager Adrian Thomson this is not foreign territory for the men in green. When they first came into the competition at the end of 2014 they were given six months to get a squad and club together. At that stage Thomson estimated the Queensland Cup funding they received was roughly “a quarter or a third” of what they receive now. With funding now at a standstill he said it was just the “climate of the beast”, but they were well attuned to deal with such a setback. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/shaun-nona-only-needs-a-blackhawks-title-before-calling-time-on-his-career/news-story/c6b4c7fd80ff9b6c1a19270a54d3c450
THERE is just one thing Shaun Nona needs to fulfil his rugby league ambitions — a premiership for Townsville. The former Blackhawks captain has been close to an NRL berth for years. After securing club contracts with the Melbourne Storm and St. George-Illawarra Dragons, he was set to be a reliable backup for the likes of Cooper Cronk and Ben Hunt respectively. With NRL State Championships to his credit playing at both Queensland and New South Wales clubs, a first-grade debut seemed inevitable. But while he is yet to realise that dream, Nona’s young family and adoration for Townsville has changed his priorities. The 29-year-old halfback’s eyes are firmly fixed on a maiden Intrust Super Cup title for the Blackhawks. And should that transpire, he said he would happily draw the curtain on his career. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/cowboys/pandemic-setback-will-only-fuel-the-fire-for-the-north-queensland-gold-stars/news-story/1503844a1d1344ff80a959af5dfdfaf0
THE coronavirus pandemic may have halted women’s rugby league, but it will not break down the progress made. And North Queensland Gold Stars coaching director Ben Jeffries believes the setback will prove to be a catalyst for an even greater chapter in the game’s history. Jeffries has seen the monumental strides the code has taken, culminating in the inaugural QRLW competition’s establishment. His dual role as the Cowboys elite pathways co-ordinator has made him an integral cog in the club’s women’s academy where a wealth of talented players have flooded the system. Coming off the highs of a first win in the QRLW’s history — a 24 to 10 triumph of Brothers Ipswich — to the lows of the season’s cancellation was a gut-wrenching blow. But Jeffries said there had been no indication the academy or team would be in jeopardy ahead of next season, and the heartache would only inspire the playing group even more. He said the progress they had made in just a couple of months had been profound and the athletes would be unwilling to let that investment go down the drain. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/the-cancellation-of-the-intrust-super-cup-could-inject-new-life-townsville-rugby-league/news-story/56b7c814398fca051c09c155eaf07a69
STATE wide rugby league may be off for 2020, but hope remains for the Townsville competition. And with a squad of Intrust Super Cup players desperate to get on the field, their injection could mean great things for the region’s future in the sport. Picture the scenario: an emerging local five-eighth partners at the scrumbase with Jaelen Feeney and his 26 NRL games with the Newcastle Knights. Consider as well the insights into preparation a rising Townsville prop would receive surrounded by the likes of Jake Marketo and Sam Hoare. Furthermore, should the NRL resume, a player dropped from the team’s starting line up would not have the Intrust Super Cup to come back to — opening the door for local rugby league. There is already interest among the ISC group, with Blackhawks’ Papua New Guinea recruit Moses Meninga already eager to get on board. The experience would undoubtedly enhance the skill level Townsville’s players, a reality not lost on Ross Anderson. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/townsville-sports-power-couple-keeping-each-other-on-their-toes/news-story/4ac3cb7729f9359e070c2ab8484ca87b
STRIPPED of the sports that fuel their competitive sides, Townsville power couple Sam Hoare and Micaela Cocks are unwilling to let their seasons slip. Blackhawks captain Hoare sees the coronavirus shutdown as a time for goal-setting: whoever uses the hiatus best would emerge from the crisis on top. The pandemic has taken away athletic competitions across sporting codes. Hoare has lost the Intrust Super Cup for 2020, while Fire guard Cocks would have been making her case for an Olympic berth with the New Zealand basketball team. But they are athletes, it is in their nature to never surrender. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/no-rugby-league-and-no-family-close-moses-meninga-is-still-asking-is-this-true/news-story/077477ef16a5b0176add896429b214c0
MOSES Meninga is in very new and daunting territory. Rugby league and its community may be mourning the suspension of football but the Papua New Guinea representative’s situation carries an extra layer of complexity. The cancellation of the 2020 Intrust Super Cup due to the coronavirus pandemic has prematurely ended Meninga’s maiden campaign with the Townsville Blackhawks. The Kumuls star had moved to Townsville to push himself, to test his abilities in a new environment and ultimately fuel his charge to an NRL berth. He left his family behind, his life behind, in the hope of matching it with the best in the game. Now as it now stands he will have to bide his time off the field. |
AuthorOne of my main responsibilities was to cover the Blackhawks and Gold Stars and build strong relationships at the club. Archives
May 2020
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