THE BOXER’S MENTALITY
Crusaders to approach the new season with a fresh mindset
SOUTHSIDE Crusaders are determined to control their destiny after being dumped from the FNQ Rugby finals last year. The team will adopt a boxer’s mentality by dominating their rivals on the field and earning a shot at the title.
SOUTHSIDE Crusaders will take a boxer’s mentality into the new FNQ Rugby season as the side tries to break through for a long-awaited title.
The Crusaders were last year knocked out of the finals after a ladder issued by the governing body was incorrect.
A review of the season’s results found Penrhyrn Sharks finished one point clear of Southside, which had lost five points for fielding an unregistered player earlier in the season. An appeal to Queensland Rugby Union to overturn the decision was ultimately unsuccessful, and Southside was forced to watch the finals from the sideline. That won’t happen again. The Crusaders, who will again be coached by Otto Suavai, are determined to make the finals then break Barron Trinity’s three-year run atop the FNQ Rugby mountain this season, and they won’t leave anything to chance.
Southside president John Robinson the team would field a similar squad to the one that competed in Crusaders colours last year, but the side would only enter A-grade.
“We struggled for numbers in reserve grade and by the end, we had guys backing up playing two games,” he said.
“It’s been a tough few years for players across the competition so our focus is on Agrade.
“We’re 100 per cent concentrating on all aspects of the team this year. We don’t want to go down the same road as last year.”
Robinson dismissed any notion of his side having an advantage due to first-round bye.
“We’re going to have to make sure we’re strong for our first game because everyone else will have already played a game,” he said.
“But we’re looking pretty good, we’re slowly finding our footing. It’s coming together.”
The FNQ Rugby season starts on April 6.