TRL’s new challenge to start 2021 with a bang

A NEW innovation from the Toowoomba Rugby League is set to commence the new season in style.

NEW VENTURE: The TRL Pre-Season Challenge will set up a bumper calender of football in February and March. Photo: File

RUGBY LEAGUE: Footy as we know it has taken a big hit in 2020, but the Toowoomba Rugby League is hoping to start next year with a bang.

The TRL has announced the inaugural staging of the Pre-Season Challenge to take place in February 2021.

Open to senior men’s and women’s clubs, teams will play a minimum of three games, starting on Friday 21 February, through to the finals on Sunday 23 February.

TRL chairman Rex Zeeman said they hoped to get the new season off to a flying start.

“We’re trying to have the season start with a bang after what has happened this year,” Zeeman said.

“It’s still in the early stages, but we’ll be looking outside Toowoomba for teams as well.

“We’ll have it all at one venue and finish off with finals on Sunday. It could work like a round robin.

“They won’t be full 40-minute halves. Player welfare is important and we don’t want to tax them too much too early.”

A decision hasn’t been made on a venue yet, however Zeeman confirmed that a ground with multiple fields, like Glenholme Park or Herb Steinohrt Oval, is the priority.

“We haven’t settled on a venue yet,” he said.

“It has to be somewhere we can control a gate with a canteen and bar. We want it to be a profitable venture as prizemoney will be paid.”

The new venture will tie into the pre-season calendar with the annual All Stars vs Emus match set for a March date, and Zeeman said the two fixtures had the potential to intertwine.

“The All Stars game against the Emus is looking like the 6th of March,” he said.

“The Emus could field a side in the Pre-Season Challenge and the TRL might pick the All Stars team from the weekend.”

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