Nkiwane confident Tigers can reclaim edge

TWO bona fide contenders will start their FNQ Football seasons today and it’s an Edge Hill recruit who expects his Tigers to roar.

The Premier Men sat on the sidelines to start the season, but MJ Nkiwane has done so for some weeks now after leaving Cairns FC.

But his happy feet are tap- ping at the prospect of expressing himself on the pitch once again and he expects Edge Hill to return to the powerhouse he and coach Paul Fitzgerald previously plotted against.

“They were a big powerhouse back in the day and when Fitzy was at Marlin Coast, that’s when we knocked them down a bit, so it’s really funny now how the tables have turned and I think again we’ll be a powerhouse in the league,” Nkiwane said. “Edge Hill’s going to be transformed to a whole new different club.

“Fitzy likes us to play like a pack of wolves in that we do everything together.”

The 23-year-old said the Tigers were the ones to beat, mostly down to a defence line including Matt Filip, Brent Powell and Kevin Ward.

Their opponents Leichhardt were solid in a 1-0 loss to Marlin Coast to start the sea- son and are set to rise to the challenge in what is often a fiery match between the two clubs.

The Premier Women’s clash shapes as just as exciting a contest and Leichhardt coach Mareeta Nicolau said her side was eager to finally get back on the park.

The Lions have retained the nucleus of the successful 2017 squad and made solid gains, but will be tested against a team deemed premiership favourites.

“We’ve had a few in-house trials and that just to keep us moving, but this will be a big game against Edge Hill,” Nicolau said.

But for the second straight week, a scheduled home match for Leichhardt has been moved to the opposition’s home ground as the club seeks to address an ongoing drainage issue.