Cairns rugby league: Hometown hero returns for Tully’s big day
Chalk and cheese. That’s how Tully Tigers coach Paul Ketchell compares the new and the old facilities at Tully Showgrounds.
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Chalk and cheese.
That’s how Tully Tigers coach Paul Ketchell compares the new and the old facilities at Tully Showgrounds.
The Tigers will host the first event at the new stadium on Saturday when the third round of the Lightning Challenge travels to the footy-mad town on the Cassowary Coast.
League lovers will be treated to a triple-header of matches, with CDRL clubs Tully and Brothers to clash in two grades, while two Northern Pride sides will also go against each other.
“It’s going to be a big event and it will be massive for Tully,” Ketchell said.
“They’re great supporters of rugby league and they’ve been waiting a long time for this.
“From what we used to run out of to what we’re going to run out of on Saturday, it’s just going to be chalk and cheese for the boys.”
Ketchell said hometown hero and Tigers’ junior Shaun Nona would be back in the orange and black after missing last week’s clash against the Reef Kings.
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Nona was part of the Pride’s premiership-winning team in 2014, claiming man of the match honours in the 36-4 grand final win over Easts, before stints with the NRL’s Storm, Dragons and Broncos.
He played in two Auckland 9s tournaments, although an NRL debut eluded him.
Nona is currently contracted to the Townsville Blackhawks, but has returned to Tully to play with his junior club in the coronavirus-affected season.
Innisfail product and Nona’s Blackhawks teammate Michael Carroll will again line up for the Tigers.
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Construction on the long-awaited Tully multi-use sporting complex and grandstand was wrapped up last week.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions on community sport, the grandstand will only be filled to 50 per cent capacity.
THE DRAW
Lightning Challenge – Rd 3
3pm: Tully Tigers v Cairns Brothers (Reserve Grade)
4.30pm: Northern Pride Reef Kings v Northern Pride Giants
6pm: Tully Tigers v Cairns Brothers (A Grade)
All games on Saturday at Tully Showgrounds.
Originally published as Cairns rugby league: Hometown hero returns for Tully’s big day