Regional rivalry as Suns tackle Roos
IT will be the old Townsville v Cairns rivalry in the first week of the 2018 AFL season at Cazalys Stadium.
North Melbourne, with Townsville players Josh Williams and Braydon Preuss on their list, will tackle Gold Coast, including locals Jarrod Harbrow and Jack Bowes, in their opening game of the new season on March 24 in Cairns.
Williams is a Gold Coast Suns Academy junior just like Cairns Saints product Bowes Bungalow-based boarding house and Cape York Eagles Football Club have run the event.
Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman was one of the keynote speakers on the day. and will be pushing for selection under lights at Cazalys Stadium.
Williams and physical ruckman Preuss hail from the same football home, the Hermit Park Tigers in Townsville, and both are in line to play their first AFL match in North Queensland.
North Melbourne general manager of football Cameron Joyce is looking forward to the Kangaroos making their debut in the Far North.
“We have never played in Cairns but we will be ready for the challenge,” Joyce said.
AFL Cape York House program manager Rick Hanlon said the event was focused on keeping the topic on the agenda.
“A total of 71 women were killed around Australia last
“We’ll have plenty of time to prepare for the likely hot and humid conditions, and hopefully we’ll have some warm summer days in Melbourne in the lead-up to help us acclimatise.”
North played the Gold Coast on two occasions in 2017 for one win and one loss. The teams, though, will be vastly different, with a raft of big changes to both line-ups.
Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob Manning said it was great to add the Gold Coast Suns’ fixture against North Melbourne to the region’s exciting year through domestic and family violence and that is out of control numbers,” Hanlon said.
“Hopefully we can get the message out there.
“We are looking to set up sporting calendar.
“Our region has certainly claimed its place as the sporting capital in the Far North,” Manning said.
“Our residents love their sport and I am sure they will be out in force for this match.
“We welcome the visiting fans and I am sure they will take time out to experience all the fantastic attractions our region has to offer.”
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values for our boys at the house, consisting of respect in their role as young men in the community.
“The boys got involved, met the ladies and waited on the tables. It was a fantastic turnout.”