Blackhawks prize Feldt

COWBOYS centre Kyle Feldt ( pictured) will return for the Townsville Blackhawks today as they prepare to face a Burleigh Bears outfit playing to restore its reputation.

Burleigh suffered the humiliation of a 78- 6 loss against the Blackhawks at Jack Manski Oval in Round 9 – the biggest of this year’s Intrust Super Cup season – but have since won four of their past six games. Today’s clash will also be the first time Townsville takes the field since the tragic death of Sunshine Coast Falcons player James Ackerman, who died last week following a tackle gone wrong. The Falcons cancelled their game against the Blackhawks last weekend in the aftermath of Ackerman’s passing, allowing both teams time to come to terms with the tragedy.

“Obviously, it was a bit of a shock to everyone and the boys thought a lot about things,” said Blackhawks coach Kristian Woolf, whose team was awarded the two co m p e t i t i o n points this week.

“We just had to move on and deal with it the best we could.

“It’s great

to

have

Kyle ( Feldt) back and he made a solid recovery from that bicep injury, so we’ve got a pretty strong team.”

The

Black- hawks will start today’s comeback game at Pizzey Park as favourites but Woolf expects no repeat of their Round 9 pushover.

As a feeder club for the

G o l d Coast Titans, Burleigh could have a number of NRL players in its ranks tomorrow with the Titans joining several other NRL clubs in having a bye this weekend.

“That ( Round 9) result was probably the wake- up call they needed,” Woolf said.

“Since then, they’ve scored some really good results and they got a win against Wynnum at Wynnum and that’s considered to be one of the toughest venues in the competition for visiting teams.”

Blackhawks regular and Cowboys allocated playmaker Robert Lui will play his fourth NRL game today, meaning Michael Parker- Walshe and Tom Humble will again partner each other in the halves.

Kelepi Tanginoa will start in the second row in place of fellow Cowboys player Glenn Hall, who has been named 18th man for North Queensland’s game against St George Illawarra and Noel Underwood returns to the bench after filling in at centre for Feldt. The clash will hold special value for captain Daniel Beasley, who plays his 50th ISC game today.

“Daniel has led from the front off the field in helping to develop a training ethic and club culture that will lay the foundations for long- term success at the Blackhawks,” Woolf said.