Pride remain in training

The Northern Pride have not yet given up on playing rugby league this year, even if it means only getting 80 minutes of football under their belts.

While the Intrust Super Cup rugby league competition has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Northern Pride players Gideon Gela-Mosby, Terrence Casey-Douglas and Nick Lui Toso are busy in their jobs as teacher aides at Cairns West State School. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE.

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The Northern Pride have not yet given up on playing rugby league this year, even if it means only getting 80 minutes of football under their belts.

The Pride returned to West Barlow Park for their first training session in three months last week but, with the statewide Intrust Super Cup and local Cairns and District Rugby League competitions pulling the pin on their 2020 seasons, the Pride are not scheduled to play a game for the rest of the year.

Coach Ty Williams said while it was exciting for the playing group to be back training together, there was still a goal to get the team on the field this year.

While the Intrust Super Cup rugby league competition has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Northern Pride players Gideon Gela-Mosby, Terrence Casey-Douglas and Nick Lui Toso are busy in their jobs as teacher aides at Cairns West State School. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE.

“We’ll still try our best to find some form of football in some capacity, whether it’s just a simple trial game at the end of this little block of training we have,” he said.

“When there’s an actual cut-off date and they go ‘no, you can’t do anything anymore’, then we won’t continue to investigate it, but at the moment we will.

“We have to make sure we’ve got the right guidelines in place but if there’s a possibility of playing one more game this year, then that’s awesome. If not, then the guys are going to be fairly well trained.”

Following the CDRL’s decision to cancel its season earlier this month, three clubs – Brothers Cairns, Tully Tigers and Ivanhoe Knights – are leading a push for rugby league’s return in 2020, but it would hinge on a further easing of government restrictions.

Williams said the Pride would be keeping an eye on how the situation evolved. “I think we’re a long way away from actually getting on the field, but it’s good to see that all avenues are still open and the discussion’s still there,” he said.

Originally published as Pride remain in training