Brothers’ handy halves pairing ready to wreak havoc

The six and seven for the Fish will be worth the price of admission alone this season.

QRL U20's Hastings Deering Colts; Townsville Blackhawks Vs Mackay Cutters at Jack Manski Oval. Cutters' Rayden Burns. Picture: Alix Sweeney

BROTHERS’ halves pairing of Chris Sandow and Rayden Burns will be worth the price of admission alone in 2020.

Brothers football manager Randall Rogers confirmed coach Sandow would reprise his playing duties in 2020 and is ready to link with exciting young Cutters livewire Burns.

The Sandow/Burns combination is just one of many reasons Brothers has to be excited about their year.

RLMD team previews:

Townsville Brothers ready to upset Mackay status quo

Souths’ ‘Barbarians’ going back to footy basics

New-look Carltons ‘fighting size with speed’

‘Embarrassed’ Wests out to make amends in 2020

Townsville Norths readying for ‘new beginning’ in Mackay comp

With returning fullback Matt Skaife set to captain his boyhood club for the first time, the Fish have quietly built a roster which could cause opposition coaches some headaches this year.

“I’m really excited to see them on the paddock. They’ve got some good leadership there through the coaching staff and (although) it is a young side, there's plenty of talent there,” Rogers said.

Matt Skaife has been named club captain at Brothers for the 2020 Rugby League Mackay and District season.

The first coach tasked with containing Brothers’ halves will be Magpies boss Steve Jackson.

“What do I know about them? Not much. But from what you’ve told me we’ve got halves that we have to keep an eye on,” Jackson said.

“Chris Sandow is probably the most experienced player in the league. Just that man’s kicking game is beneficial to a football side so we’ll have to work hard to get to him quick and pressure him.

“But when he has a lot of pressure on him he just offloads it to Ray Ray and as we know, you can’t give him a metre.”

Rogers said Sandow’s presence at the club had been invaluable.

“He’s a great bloke and the club is very lucky to have him,” he said of the 159-game former NRL star.

Subscriber benefits:

WATCH: Your guide to reading the Daily Mercury online

Your questions about the new Daily Mercury format answered

How to make the most of your Mercury subscription

Daily puzzles and Sudoku another reason to stay subscribed

We’re still here: How to contact your journalists

Brothers Fixture –

R1: August 1 @ Magpies

R2: August 8 @ Townsville Norths

R3: August 15 v Carltons

R4: August 22 v Townsville Brothers

R5: August 29 @ Souths

R6: September 5 v Wests

R7: BYE