Emus out to help lift Qld Heelers
RUGBY UNION: The “Goondiwindi connection” will be called on for some much-needed experience when the Queensland Country Heelers kick off their 2017 tour tomorrow.
The Heelers begin a hectic week of matches with tomorrow’s opening game at Ballymore Stadium against the Queensland Premier President’s Team.
Queensland Country then swings into international mode on Wednesday when it meets touring North Canterbury from New Zealand, also at Ballymore.
The Heelers’ campaign winds up against traditional rivals – the New South Wales Cockatoos – in Newcastle next Saturday.
Darling Downs supplies seven members of this year’s senior Heelers’ squad.
Goondwindi’s Jack Cook, Will Gilbert, Harry Hawker, Jay Schulte, Lachlan Tulloch and Sam Tweedy have all been selected along with UQ Gatton forward John Vinson.
Cook, Gilbert and Tweedy were members of the 2016 Heelers’ line-up which snatched the Battle Of The Borders Cup back from the Cocaktoos with a last-minute victory at Gold Park last July.
Head Heelers’ coach Rob Johnston and assistant Stuart Beakey will be looking to that trio to help guide the new-look squad through its testing initiation.
“It’s an interesting squad,” Johnston said this week.
“Seventeen of the 23
players are first-time Heelers.
“That’s a huge turnover of players with a lot of young blokes coming into the squad, which is exciting.
“We knew this was coming and Stu Beakey and myself are looking forward to the challenge of putting our stamp on a new-look Heelers team.
“Naturally we will wanting to win every game, but at the same time we realise this is a development period for the team.
“It will be a very testing week starting with the Queensland Premier team on Sunday and I know New South Wales are building strongly for our match.
“But everyone is looking forward to seeing what we can produce next week.”
Meanwhile Downs’ players Hahns Sperling, Dan Cover, Adam Berthleson, Lachlan Sperling, Joe Gilbert, Rohan Gale and Nat Currie are members of next week’s Heelers’ Colt squad.