COACH’S EYES ON FUTURE

TWEED Heads coach Aaron Zimmerle has pledged to look to the future after blooding three debutants in the 32-18 Queensland Cup loss to Souths Logan in Julia Creek.

Fullback Jayden Baker, centre Kurtis McDonald and halfback Jack Cook were all rewarded with maiden callups and showed promise.

“We have got four weeks left now … we’re just giving as many of those potential players in A-grade a game or two to find out how they handle it,” Zimmerle said.

As part of that philosophy, Tweed opted for rookie hookers Will Johnstone and Jenan Parrish over skipper Sam Meskell.

“Meskell is not banished to A-grade by any means, we will rotate blokes through,” Zimmerle said.

Without Meskell and new co-captain Michael Burgess, who last week suffered a season-ending pectoral injury, the reins were handed to second-rower Lamar Liolevave.

“He captained Keebra Park the year they won the schoolboys championship,” Zimmerle said. “He’s not there to deliver elegant speeches, he is there to lead by example and he handled the responsibility really well.”

Centre James Wood got a double but Tweed were undone by their second half.