The Townsville Blackhawks’ nod to history ahead of Country Week Q Cup clash in Charters Towers
The ‘Towers Blackhawks’ will adopt a new home ground on Saturday when they take their Q Cup fixture against Souths Logan Magpies up the Flinders Highway to Bill Lewis Oval. Find out why it will be a full-circle moment for the club.
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The Towers Blackhawks will adopt a new home ground on Saturday when they take their Queensland Cup fixture against Souths Logan Magpies up the Flinders Highway to Bill Lewis Oval in Charters Towers.
It won’t be the first time the Blackhawks have taken a game to Charters Towers.
The club took its inaugural Country Week game to the historic goldmining town in 2015, claiming a 36-28 victory while boasting a Kristian Woolf-coached team that included future Dally M medallist Jahrome Hughes, Kyle Feldt and Robert Lui – who all featured on the scoresheet.
Charters Towers Miners president Jeff Burton said the return after a decade added an extra element of celebration.
“Credit to Adrian Thomsom, he was in charge of the Blackhawks back then and still is as of today, so it certainly means a bit to him,” Burton said.
“We’re ecstatic. We’re really looking forward to the buzz, and we’re expecting a huge crowd. The first year we had them here, there was a massive crowd – probably one of the biggest crowds that had ever been seen at Bill Lewis Oval – and we’re hoping for much the same on Saturday.”
The action starts with the ladies game at 11.30am, followed by reserve grade, A-grade, and the Q Cup fixture at 4.10pm. The Blackhawks will wear Country Week jerseys that will be auctioned off at the end of the game.
Blackhawks football operations manager Thomson said the annual fixture was always a highlight for players and supporters.
“Every team looks forward to it, players enjoy the carnival atmosphere during Country Week,” Thomson said.
“It’s ours second time taking a game to Towers. The Magpies are probably fighting for their chance to play finals but our guys are desperate to hold onto our place at the top too.
“It’s great, I’ve had ties to Charters Towers for a long time. I lived there for a while after I finished boarding school, and it’s always great to go back. Hopefully lots of supporters make the trip and they get a good crowd.”
Each Queensland Cup fixture has been moved to regional Queensland in round 19 to celebrate the QRL’s Country Week, with games taking place around the state in locations including Emerald, Augathella, Yarrabah and Goondiwindi.
The Magpies boast a talented halves pairing featuring 219-game NRL veteran Anthony Milford and rising star Coby Black
The teams last met back in May when Townsville survived a late surge to claim a narrow 28-26 victory at Davies Park in Brisbane.
Burton said the day couldn’t have happened without the support of both clubs and the QRL.
“I’d also really like to thank David Maiden from the QRL, he’s orchestrated a lot of the stuff for country round, and he looks after all of the country regions,” Burton said.
“Not only him, it’s the QRL referees who are coming out early to talk to the younger referees, and both clubs – the Blackhawks and Magpies – they’ve been outstanding as well, getting around the schools and doing some coaching clinics.
“It is country round and lot of those guys – referees included – they’ve started somewhere in the country so they know the challenges that are involved in country rugby league. We’re just really thankful for their support and help throughout the week and on game day.”
Charters Towers Miners captain-coach Jake Bourke said his team would relish the opportunity to play their must-win fixture against Norths in front of a big crowd.
“I’m sure there’ll be a lot of people from around the Charters Towers region coming out,” Bourke said.
“We’ve got four games left and a bye, so I think we’ve got to win these next four to put us in good shape to go into finals.
“We’re just focusing on ourselves, just completing sets and not worrying about Norths too much.
“The boys always stick around, get around the community and have a beer with each other after the game, so it’ll be no different on Saturday.”
Originally published as The Townsville Blackhawks’ nod to history ahead of Country Week Q Cup clash in Charters Towers
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