Townsville set to take back Blackhawks in shock rules shakeup

A shock rule change by the QRL will lead to big changes for the Blackhawks and Cowboys, opening the door for a legendary player to return.

Blackhawks Kyle Laybutt. Picture: Evan Morgan

Townsville is taking back its Blackhawks, with the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) moving to close the player allocation loophole that allowed the Cowboys to stack the feeder club with its fringe NRL players.

Chairman Glenn Carroll told this masthead the Blackhawks were ready to proceed into the future with or without the Cowboys.

“The agreement that we have the Cowboys this year will not be in existence in 2024,” Carroll revealed.

“We’ll be going back to what we were in 2022: recruiting our own players, a new coach, and going back to pre-2023.

“Whether we have an allocated player in 2024 is up to the Cowboys - they allocate their players and it (the decision) won’t have anything to do with the Blackhawks.”

Carroll said the arrangement had not worked out to his club’s satisfaction.

Former Townsville Blackhawks Coach Aaron Payne was ousted this season.. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“If things worked out our intention was to carry on but they haven’t worked out,” he said.

“You’d have to say we have some regrets but we went into the agreement with our eyes wide open.

“It hasn’t worked to the extent we would have hoped but that’s always the problem when you’re depending on another club that’s using you virtually as a reserve grade.”

The Cowboys declined to comment.

THE ISSUE

North Queensland pounced on a QRL rule change this year that removed the requirement for NRL clubs to provide an equal split of players, in overall numbers and spread of talent, across its affiliates.

The Cowboys allocated the players least likely to feature in the Queensland Cup - like Jason Taumalolo and Valentine Holmes - to Cairns and Mackay, leaving the players most likely to feature in Cup football with Townsville.

Blackhawks Tekelu Mene. Picture: Evan Morgan

After years of sending players to feeder clubs hundreds of kilometres away in Cairns and Mackay, Cowboys officials hoped the streamlining of player allocations with Townsville would yield greater cohesion in the ranks and result in a fringe better prepared to step up to the NRL.

It came at a cost, as the regular Blackhawks moved away in search of greater opportunities to play.

Of the 2022 Blackhawks squad just two players - forwards Cade Moloney and Patrick Kaufusi - have played in 50 per cent of games this year.

When the Cowboys suffered an injury spike early in the season the Blackhawks were left with a weakened core and forced to turn to its under-21s and local A Grade for reinforcements - leaving the club on a knife’s edge to qualify for finals.

Coach Aaron Payne paid the price for the form slump and was sacked last week after four seasons at the helm.

Blackhawks Jamal Shibasaki. Picture: Evan Morgan

This masthead understands the QRL has since reverted to the old feeder club rules, closing the loophole.

It remains to be seen whether the Cowboys will stick with the QRL or break free to join a different competition.

THE REBUILD

Blackhawks legend Kyle Laybutt has welcomed the move, pledging to return to the club in 2024 to help lead the rebuild alongside a host of displaced former teammates.

The Papua New Guinea World Cup international and Townsville’s most-capped player was the highest-profile player lost to the realignment.

The 27-year-old has already moved back to Townsville, ready to fight for the club he still considers his home.

Blackhawks Kyle Laybutt. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I still have that loyalty to the Blackhawks,” Laybutt declared.

“I never wanted to leave and I can speak for a few other boys - none of us wanted to leave the club.

“We barely knew this year it (the Cowboys reallocation) was happening until it was all too late.

“I absolutely love the club and that’s why I’m so disappointed about this year and how it has panned out.

“We’ve been building stuff for the past six years I’ve been there and it’s all gone to s--- this year, really.

“Next year will have to be a massive rebuild, I guess, and I’m happy to do it. All I want is for the club to be successful.”

Laybutt revealed he had already begun discussions with the Blackhawks about a comeback.

Chairman Carroll said the interest of former players in returning was pleasing.

The club only advertised its head coaching position this week but work has already begun in bringing home the Blackhawks players lost in 2023.

“(Kyle Laybutt’s interest) is a positive thing, and to be honest that was what we understood would happen,” Carroll said.

“We’ll begin the recruitment process immediately because we were pretty devastated. Our players are spread everywhere.

“We’ll be recruiting and most of that will be former players and some of our under-21s from this year.

“The coach will have some input on recruitment when he’s appointed. We’ve only just placed an ad but we are confident in gaining the services of a pretty credentialed coach to come to our club and hopefully by the first or second week of November.

“We’re looking forward to getting through this year and then getting back to how it was.”

Originally published as Townsville set to take back Blackhawks in shock rules shakeup