Highfields going the extra Miles

In a year of the unusual, the Highfields Eagles took the opportunity to resurrect the footy trip.

Sending two teams to Miles for the Father’s Day 9s Carnival, the Eagles came away with a tournament win, but more importantly, further team bonding ahead of their 2021 TRL Premiership tilt.

“It was a good little weekend.

“We took two teams, one was a young gun team and the other more of an A-grade side,” coach Gus McKellar said.

“I’ve got family out in Miles and they rang to ask if we’d be interested, to try and get something happening in the town.

“We put it on our page and had more than 25 blokes interested that were keen.

“We did a bit of training the fortnight before we went.

“There was a team from Mungindi which had a number of Goondiwindi players, Jandowae had a few of the Dalby boys there and a few country teams combined to make it a strong competition.”

Taking the opportunity to gel together as a side, the two Eagles sides stayed in nearby Chinchilla overnight.

“We stayed in Chinchilla and put a bit of money in there,” he said.

“I wanted to make sure with the rooming that we had an Agrade player with a younger player.

“This was to help everyone get to know each other and make these younger guys feel more comfortable.

“We had a few beers together, rocked up on Sunday and put on a good performance.”

The system worked as both sides made the final on the Sunday, with the A-grade Eagles coming out on top, with Cory McGrady taking out player of the carnival honours.

“Nobody played bad at all,” he said.

“Conor Nolan was one of the best in the final. Jacob Mouatt, Nathan Smith and Zac Miles all had a good weekend, as did Campbell Stewart.

“Alex Brighton was really good out wide as well.”

It gives the Eagles a boost ahead of their preparations for next season, with McKellar confident Highfields will contend in 2021.