FOOTY’S BACK: Game on for Far North rugby league clubs
Cairns and District Rugby League chairman Colin Moore has delivered the news that Far North Queensland rugby league fans have been waiting to hear — footy is back.
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Cairns and District Rugby League chairman Colin Moore has delivered the news that Far North Queensland rugby league fans have been waiting to hear — footy is back.
Local clubs will return to the field next month, with a series of double-headers kicking off on August 8.
Queensland Rugby League club the Northern Pride and CDRL clubs Brothers Cairns and Tully Tigers will participate in the series, known as the Lightning Challenge.
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“It will be held over six weeks, with each club hosting two double-headers at their home grounds,” Moore said.
“We’re just trying to be positive and hoping that it will allow us to get more people through the gate.”
The series will be contested by four teams, with the Pride to field two sides featuring a mixture of Intrust Super Cup and under-20s players.
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Moore said, while clubs wouldn’t be playing for a premiership in the traditional sense, there would be a winner at the end of the series.
“We’ll still do points and for-and-against, but the idea is not to have it as a competition,” he said.
“It’s more a bit of a challenge and just getting the players back on the paddock.”
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Players from non-playing clubs will be given clearance to play for one of the participating clubs, but will have to return to their original clubs at the end of the series.
The running of reserve grade and under-18s fixtures will depend on player numbers at upcoming training sessions, but hasn’t been ruled out.
The CDRL had originally decided to cancel its 2020 season on June 1, but the Queensland Government’s decision to further ease community sporting restrictions last week reignited discussions about league’s local return.
The proposal to bring rugby league back to the region was given the green light at a meeting on Thursday night.
Originally published as FOOTY’S BACK: Game on for Far North rugby league clubs