Palmerston Crocodiles looking to improve running game, set to move captain Kendall Quakawoot from fullback to team’s playmaker

PALMERSTON Crocs are keen to get their hands back on the rugby ball and state their case for finals when the Darwin A-grade rugby competition returns on June 27.And in a move which could spark their attack, coach Aaron Hawthorne will look to move captain Kendall Quakawoot from fullback to five-eighth.

Palmerston captain Kendall Quakawoot will be moved from fullback to five-eighth to spark the Crocodiles’ attack when Darwin A-grade rugby union resumes from June 27. Picture: CHE CHORLEY

PALMERSTON Crocs are keen to get their hands back on the rugby ball and state their case for finals when the Darwin A-grade rugby competition returns on June 27.

Coach Aaron Hawthorne said the return to contact training this week would give the side time to readjust to the game after almost three months off the field.

“We’ve been doing a bit of light training over the past two weeks doing a few different things such as basketball to get that fitness back,” Hawthorne said. “This week we will be able to return to contact training which everyone is pretty keen for and we’ve been seeing some good numbers around the club.

“It’s a shortened season now but it is what it is and we’re all keen to get back out there.”

Crocs have much the same squad that showed signs of promise in the opening rounds of the season but were unable to come away with a win.

Captain Kendall Quakawoot will be looking to make a return to the side after being sorely missed in Palmerston’s 34-5 loss to Casuarina in the final round before the season was postponed.

The Crocs will also be looking to their centre Jay Franklin in the second half of the season who put in massive shifts in defence through the season.

“We missed Kendall in the last match so we will be looking to move him from fullback to five-eighth to get him more involved,” Hawthorne said.

“We’re still looking to play a wide and expansive game with the goal of moving the ball as much as possible while our handy backs like Jay will provide in defence.

“For us it’s all about consistency and putting everything together. That’s what we need to improve on in both the set piece and running the game.

“It’s going to be hard to tell where the other teams are at this stage but based on the first half of the season anyone will be able to beat anyone.”