Life good as Jets set for super duel

ROUND one is like being lost in the shops and finding your mum - your life is all right again.

NUMBER 13: Jets legend Danny Coburn sees a lot to like in his modern day replacement Ben Shea. He will be key to a Jets victory on Sunday against the Blackhawks. Picture: Franca Tigani

JETS BUZZ

ROUND one is like being lost in the shops and finding your mum - your life is all right again.

The Jets and Blackhawks will clash in the heat of the day in round one of the Intrust Super Cup at the home of the Jets and live on Channel Nine. The Blackhawks have not won in Ipswich since 2017 when they got away with a 39-26 win.

The Jets and Blackhawks have clashed four times at the North Ipswich Reserve. It is all square at two games each.

Defence Force Appreciation Day on Sunday will feature the Jets and Blackhawks honouring the defence history of their great cities.

Defence out on the field might be hard work during the day. The Jets and Townsville have had some high scoring games over the years.

In their 10 clashes, the average score has been 25 to 23, with the Jets having scored 252 points and the Blackhawks 233.

Ipswich have scored 42 tries in their 10 games while the Blackhawks have jagged 41.

The Blackhawks have had a disrupted pre-season with torrential rain in Townsville forcing them to struggle to train or find a field.

The Jets have played two trials against the Tigers and Falcons.

Jets fans will remember the name Michael Parker-Walshe. Two years ago, he broke Jets hearts with a try and field goal in the Blackhawks' last win in Ipswich.

Parker-Walshe has had a year off playing for Townsville Brothers, but he is back and adds a lot of experience having played in 61 of Townsville's 98 games.

"The Jets are a different commodity in attack and defence,'' Parker-Walshe said.

"You can help guys to prepare but they hold on to the ball for so long and you can talk about staying in the line and not shooting up but fatigue makes you do strange things.

"In defence the Jets are different too; they rush up and spoil your attack so you have to be ready for that as well."

On the other side of half way from Parker-Walshe will be Jet Josh Cleeland, playing his 50th Intrust Super Cup game for the Jets and 51st match.

"Looking forward to it," he said. "Last time I played them was the 2015 grand final.

"It's going to be a tough game. They (Townsville) always have a strong squad.

"I'm just excited to get out there and play some footy with the boys and to play against a few old Jets.

"Really exciting playing with Nat Neale on the right edge - (I'll) just try get him one on one and support him for an offload."

The Defence Force Appreciation Day will have stalls, Panther fire trucks, military vehicles and the Defence Force game before the main game. It is a great day with both teams wearing special jumpers that honour the military history of the two cities.

Playing jumpers from both sides will be auctioned off; some framed and unframed as well as one half signed by both teams.

All proceeds will go to the Channel Nine Townsville Flood Appeal, St Vincent De Paul.

Payne versus Shane

THE JETS and Blackhawks will have coaches at contrasting stages of their careers. Ben and Shane Walker will be standing on the sideline for game 198 coaching while the Blackhawks' Aaron Payne will be on debut.

Payne spoke to me about his upcoming ISC coaching debut for the Blackhawks.

"I am really excited, I enjoyed under-20's but sometimes coaching that age group can feel like you're a policeman, teacher and parent. It is good to be coaching men. They are so professional," he said.

"We have had a disrupted pre-season with the wet weather and had to move a trial but we will move onto the Jets now and be ready for Sunday."

Standing close to the sideline for game 198 will be Shane Walker.

"November to March are my agitated months. I just cannot wait for football to start again," Walker said. "I do not handle summer at all. I am so excited."

Shane was clear on what Payne will experience.

"He will be nervous - a different nervous to playing," Walker said.

"You lose that element of control. At training and in reviews you have some control but once they're out there not much you can do any more. As a player you are nervous until kick-off then it vanishes, as a coach it stays with you for the whole game."

Coburn support

DANNY Coburn played 258 games for the Jets wearing the number 13.

He played the third most games in Intrust Super Cup history and lock for the 20-year celebration team in 2015. Coburn sat down with me, and we watched current Jets number 13 Ben Shea, and shared what he liked about his work.

"The thing I like about Ben Shea is he works so hard, he is so committed to improving and change," Coburn said. "It would be easy as you get older to stick with what you know but he dedicated his time to driving to Ipswich and adapting to a new style of play.

"He is a calm voice at training and on the field. You need those guys that settle everything and then pick a course of action. I remember in the final against the Blackhawks there was a period where the Jets could have lost momentum but Ben took a hit-up and got the Jets back on track.

"That's experience, and that only comes with games and being smart. Shea has been great for the Jets."

Remember that Jet

JET number 62 has the familiar name - Caslick. Don is the father of Sam Caslick, the Jets' current speedy outside back and Charlotte Caslick, rugby sevens star.

Don came to the Jets in 1985, joining the Lockyer Lions.

"It was the State League that season. The Jets were still a year away from the BRL," Don recalled.

"Glenn Wegner got me to the Lions and it was an honour to get selected to play with the Jets.

"It was such a fun time. We had a young Allan Langer and big Arnold Murray - you couldn't get two more contrasting types physically but they were great together."

When Don returned to Wests in 1986 he remembered the Jets' first ever win in the BRL, 21-12 over Wests at Lang Park where he scored two tries against the Jets.

"The memory of big Bob Kellaway running over me a couple of times is just as vivid as the two tries," he said.

"Hitting my mate Glenn Wegner with a swinging arm and opening up his stitches he had from the week before too - I was joking with him all week at work that I'd do it, but I swear it was accidental.

"Never good to lose but I recall being happy the Jets had their first win.

"It brings back great memories being back at the Reserve to watch Sam play. I would prefer going to watch local football than the NRL."

Cooper's stat

THE JETS' 21-12 win over Wests in 1986 brought about plenty of firsts for the Jets: first win at Lang Park, first win in the Brisbane Rugby League and first time the Jets had won two games in a row in the State League.

A cold beer with . . .

Charlotte Caslick is an Olympic gold medallist and rugby superstar that spends her time travelling the world playing for Australia. We put our Olympic medals on the bar and bought a beer to talk.

Sam kicked the game winning field goals for the Jets against Sunshine Coast last season. How are your field goals?

Pretty awful, although my conversions at the World Series are one from one.

Where do you keep your Olympic gold medal?

It is currently on my chest of draws.

Your dad played for the Jets, Sam plays for the Jets - when are you coming across?

Now it will have to be post 2020 after Tokyo as I am signed to Australia Rugby until then. I am really enjoying where I am at right now in sevens.

When are you going to get to a Jets game?

I went out to a fair few last season and will definitely try to get to some again.

Just on the quiet who is the best Australian athlete, you or Ellyse Perry?

Ellyse is hard to beat.