Teams beef up as new TRL season kicks-off
RUGBY LEAGUE: With a new season of the TRL Premiership kicking off tonight, 11 clubs start their year with aspirations of leaving their mark on the competition.
With off-season training over and trials out of the way, the best players in the region are ready to launch into the 18round competition.
TRL chairman Brian Gilroy said he expected the standard across the board to continue to rise after new levels were set in 2017, and predicted a tight tussle for finals spots come August.
“I think the top clubs will be good again this year, and someone said to me this time last year that there will be some good clubs that won’t make the finals, and that’s probably true,” Gilroy said.
“Using Gatton as an example last year, if they had made the finals, they probably could’ve given it a shake.
“Most of the clubs that made the finals last year are still strong, and teams that didn’t make it are looking better.
“A top five out of 11 teams is going to be hard to make.
“If we had the level of play during the finals and some of the club games during the year, we’ll be really happy.”
The addition of former Super League and World Cup
‘‘ I THINK THE TOP CLUBS WILL BE GOOD AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND SOMEONE SAID TO ME THIS TIME LAST YEAR THAT THERE WILL BE SOME GOOD CLUBS THAT WON’T MAKE THE FINALS, AND THAT’S PROBABLY TRUE.
player Mark Offerdahl to Goondiwindi adds to the big names playing in 2019, something Gilroy said was a rising trend.
“There’s been a bit of a trend over the last couple of years,” he said.
“Blokes are over 25, and have played at a top level or a bit of Intrust Super Cup, but now have decided to come home and start a career.”
The first round has managed to pack plenty of punch across the opening weekend.
Foundation clubs Valleys and Brothers, who will both be staging centenary celebrations throughout the season, have the honour of getting the year under way at Herb Steinohrt Oval.
Traditional rivals Warwick and Wattles will face off with an added twist tonight, with the clubs playing for the Basil Nolan Jnr Memorial Shield.
Nolan Jnr tragically passed away last year, with the clubs honouring the contribution he made to the sport on the Southern Downs.
Rounding out tonight’s action is Pittsworth and Dalby, as the respective 2016 and 2017 premiers look to start their years off on a high.
A new look Southern Suburbs outfit gets its chance to show what it is made of against another improving team, Oakey. The pair will meet tomorrow at Clive Berghofer Stadium.
Finishing off the round is the Goondiwindi Boars when they welcome Gatton to town.
BRIAN GILROY