Northern Pride prepared for players to explore footy options

Northern Pride officials will be ready for the knock on the door if players want to leave the club spurred by the lack of senior rugby league in Cairns and Far North Queensland.

• How the Taipans can work around convention centre upgrade delay
• Williams’ passionate defence of Pride’s place in rugby league
• Cairns Taipans rule out relocation
• Hopes high for junior league season in Cairns

Northern Pride officials will be ready for the knock on the door if players want to leave the club spurred by the lack of senior rugby league in Cairns and Far North Queensland.

The Pride were sidelined months ago after the Queensland Rugby League’s decision to cancel the four statewide competitions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

> SEEM FAMILIAR? WHAT SECOND BRISBANE NRL TEAM’S JERSEY COULD LOOK LIKE

Northern Pride v Townsville Blackhawks trial game at Barlow Park. Pride's Jack Campagnolo. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

Pride players were initially set to drop back to Cairns District Rugby League clubs to create arguably the strongest local competition in years, but that plan blew up after CDRL clubs pulled the pin and cancelled their senior competitions last week.

They joined regions like Toowoomba, Bundaberg and Northern Districts on the sidelines, and it’s the first time since World War II that Cairns won’t run a senior season.

> EARLY MAIL: BANNED DOG LEAVES A CENTRE PAIRING WITH JUST FOUR NRL GAMES BETWEEN THEM

But while the cue is firmly in the rack for Far North rugby league clubs, there remains a plethora of options for budding footballers to follow.

Rival sports like rugby union, Aussie rules and football have thrown open the door to potential converts, hitting social media minutes after the CDRL’s decision was made public to offer the region’s rugby league outcasts a place to play contact sport.

> MESSAGE TO FOOTY FANS ‘UNCLEAR AS MUD’

Northern Pride v Townsville Blackhawks trial game at Barlow Park. Pride's Nick Lui Toso. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

There’s also a chance footballers could opt to move south to play rugby league, with Townsville, Mackay and the South East Queensland among those regions still pushing on with a season.

Pride coach Ty Williams, who is preparing to take his Intrust Super Cup players back to the training park next week, said the club was prepared for those conversations with players if they eventuate.

> INSIDE DRAGONS’ FREEFALL — FROM POWERHOUSE TO A RUGBY LEAGUE DISGRACE ‘DEVOID OF SOUL’

“It’s an area we need to be very careful about,” he said.

“It’s all good and well to say we’ve stopped our competition, no more.

“But if someone down the road puts their competition forward, and I’m a player that’s currently playing I’m probably going to investigate it.

> ‘HERE TO STAY’: MCGUIRE BACKS NRL RULE CHANGES

“If I’ve got no tie-downs here, I’ve come here for footy, and there’s an opportunity to go south, then the conversation will be had.

“Chey (Bird, Northern Pride football manager) and I are prepared for that. We’ll sit down with the guys – we want them to stay here.

> UGLY FOOTY FLAW A ‘BLIGHT ON THE GAME’

Northern Pride football operations manager Chey Bird and head coach Ty Williams at the 2019 Intrust Super Cup match between Northern Pride and Norths Devils at Barlow Park. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

“I think that’s why it’s important there is some sort of rugby league at the end of the year if available and the process is all ticked off.”

Hastings Deering Colts coach Dave Scott said it was vital for young players to get time on the field this year.

> NRL STAR SET TO RETURN AFTER CASINO STREET FIGHT BAN

“We don’t want to miss out on a contingent of players missing an entire year of their development,” he said.

“It’s just as big for me to get the players back on the field and interacting together. Getting them playing a game in any format possible is a key criteria for the club in my opinion, so hopefully we can put together some formats, people buy into it and they get back on the development pathway.”

Originally published as Northern Pride prepared for players to explore footy options