Revealed: Which Blackhawks are firming for Round 1 selection

Blackhawks coach Terry Campese said selections headaches were already keeping him up at night more than a month out from the team’s first trial match. Read which players are causing them:

Blackhawks coach Terry Campese said selections headaches were already keeping him up at night more than a month out from the team’s first trial match.

Between five and eight Blackhawks are candidates to be rested for the opening trial because they have already earned their jobs.

Trial form will determine which members of the 40-strong squad training at Jack Manski Oval will join them in Ipswich for round one.

Rabbitohs train-and-triallists Cade Maloney and Richard Holani (props), Nicholas Halalilo (backrow) and outside back Harry Quinlan are certain starters against the Jets if healthy.

Papua New Guinea international halfback Kyle Laybutt and 2023 Cowboys Gehamat Shibasaki (centre), Jake Bourke (five-eighth), James Tamou (prop), plus incumbent captain Jayden Hodges (hooker), would be surprising exclusions.

Townsville Blackhawks recruit Harry Quinlan pictured during South Sydney Rabbitohs' 2024 NRL pre-season. Picture: Rabbitohs Media

That leaves major positional battles in the outside backs and the forward pack to be settled over the trial period beginning on February 17.

“We want to give everyone the best opportunity to put their hand up for that round one game,” Campese said.

Cade Maloney was the first Townsville Blackhawk to sign with the South Sydney Rabbitohs under the club's landmark agreement with the QRL club. Picture: Evan Morgan

“There’s going to be a fair contest and whoever plays well in the trials will be playing in that round one game. We’ve got great depth across the board which we are very stoked with.”

Campese said fullback shaped as a shootout, with 2023 Cowboys train-and-triallistAdam Cook, former Newcastle Knight Jaelen Feeney, Townsville local McKenzie Baker and others vying for the No.1 jersey.

“The fullback position is going to be a headache, and the outside backs. I can’t put a side together to be honest. It’s very tough,” Campese said.

James Tamou playing for the Townsville Blackhawks in 2023. Picture: Supplied.

“After the first week I knew it was going to be a headache. You look at our outside backs, Kalifa Faifai Loaand Matty Wright have got great NRL experience. You have guys like Dudley (Dotoi) who can do anything on the footy field. Those positions are up for grabs and it’s exciting for them, the club and our supporters.”

The positional intrigue extends into the forward pack, with the entire group timing in at five minutes or under in 1.2km time-trial testing this week.

Strength and conditioning coach Lee Patterson reported the team had improved 20 per cent on their pre-Christmas testing results, effectively carving a minute off their 1.2km times per player on average.

“That’s a huge improvement,” Campese said.

“Big Christian (Gale) from England competes in everything. He’s definitely put his hand up (to play in round 1).

First Look: Blackhawks Squad Training. Christian Gale. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Brownie (Nick Brown) has played quite a bit of Q-Cup, and Jayden Sharp (signed from Burleigh), those three have really put their hand up to be alongside big Jimmy (Tamou) in the front row.”

Football operations manager Adrian Thomson said it was the most depth the club had assembled “in a while.”

“There’s been a lot of standouts but Jake Bourke has been one,” Thomson said.

“The experience he took out of last season turned him into a really solid Queensland Cup player that can step up to the next level. By playing half and hooker off the bench I think has turned his game threefold and makes him a better half.

Cowboys Jake Bourke during the 2023 pre-season trial with Dolphins at Barlow Park in Cairns. Picture: NRL Imagery

“The opportunity is there for him to step up, and I think there are a couple of other guys that really going to take the Q Cup on in Kyle Laybutt.

“Adam Cook and Jake Riley have come back here. Eddie Hampson has come back from Newcastle. Tyreece Woods from Newcastle. We have a really good Townsville flavour and with the guys we’ve added from outside of Townsville that are going to add to that depth, I think we’re in a tremendous position.

“Most of our 21s will play Cup this year. Tyrone Gunn-James, Joel Baldwin, Jesse Yallop all had tastes of Queensland Cup last year so most of them know what to expect.

“If Tyreice Baira-Gela can get himself back on the field, about mid-season, he’s got every opportunity to play later on the year according to the doctor.”

Originally published as Revealed: Which Blackhawks are firming for Round 1 selection