Football’s newest rep game scrapped for ‘21

THE newest representative fixture on the Football Queensland North calendar has been axed for 2021.

FQ North had planned to launch a four-team City v Country series this year, which would pit two rep sides featuring players from the Premier League competitions in Far North Queensland and North Queensland against each other over three days.

It was originally planned to be held on the May long weekend, but this week’s rain event has forced its cancellation.

More than 500mm fell in just three days across Cairns, leaving roads closed and fields submerged – and throwing Far North sporting fixtures into chaos.

Officials have postponed the FNQ Premier League fixtures by one week, with every junior and senior game scheduled for this weekend to be played from April 30 to May 2 at the same venues.

And with such a packed calendar, FQ North general manager Declan Carnes said there was no option but to cancel the new concept for this year and move it to 2022.

Carnes said the series would likely become a showpiece pre-season tournament, which would be used to launch the official start of the football season in both regions.

“We have the Crad Evans Shield at the end of the year and after then a lot of people lose interest,” Carnes said.

“We couldn’t schedule it after then, so we’ll make it a leading event at the start of the year.”

Cairns was in line to host the event this year but there is no decision yet on where the games will be staged in 2022.

While Cairns clubs (and players) would welcome the fixture with open arms, Carnes is driven to stage highlevel football events at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

The venue was slated to host Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and West Ham United in the Queensland Champions Cup in June last year, a mini-tournament which would also feature ALeague club Brisbane Roar.

But that, along with many other events, fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And while it was postponed, a new date is yet to be set.

Carnes dreams of bringing the world game to the $293m state-of-the-art venue, and if a big-ticket item like the Champions Cup, Matildas or Socceroos or another national or international fixture can’t be secured, the new City-Country series could fit the bill.

“I think it would be an opportunity to play the fixture in Townsville,” Carnes said.

“I’m really keen to get a game in the new stadium.

“We would look at what is available and what other football events are on in Cairns.