MAGPIE ALER T Blackhawks coach wary of ‘ tough team’
THE machine is slowly starting to turn, but the Townsville Blackhawks know things can quickly go backwards against an out of sorts but still dangerous Souths Logan Magpies.
Blackhawks coach Kristian Woolf believes recent form will not deter Souths from attempting to become the latest team to win at Jack Manski Oval, a Queensland Cup fortress which has yielded a handful of upsets this year.
The Blackhawks appeared to turn a corner in their most recent Q Cup hitout, beating Wynnum Manly 22- 16 away from home.
That result kept them in fifth spot on the Q Cup ladder, just one win ahead of seventh placed Souths despite the Magpies’ two- game losing streak featuring defeats to Redcliffe ( 52- 12) and Ipswich ( 36- 30).
But the Blackhawks have lost two close games at Jack Manski, the first a 35- 22 loss to Easts Tigers followed by a disappointing 20- 18 defeat against Burleigh.
Cowboys- allocated five- eighth Kyle Laybutt did not travel to Sydney with the Cowboys and will play for the Blackhawks tomorrow, as will backrower Blake Leary who also remained in Townsville after being named on North Queensland’s extended bench.
Corey Jensen travelled with the Cowboys as 18th man but is also expected to play tomorrow.
“Souths are still one of the better teams in the competition, and you look at guys like George Fai, Joe Boyce, Travis Waddell – they have a very powerful pack,” Woolf said.
“Scott Doyle played in the centres for the Queensland Residents as well, and ( Souths five- eighth) Matt Minto’s a good player.
“They’re a little reliant on who they get back from the Brisbane Broncos and I think that’s where they were short over the last couple of weeks, but they get all their allocated players back and they’re a very tough team to play against.
“Souths will come up knowing we haven’t been as good at home this year and with a sniff of an opportunity.”
Woolf is especially wary of Minto’s pinpoint kicking game, which can cause troubles for any back three, even players of the calibre of Blackhawks’ trio Carlin Anderson, Jonathon Reuben and Samsen O’Neill.
“He has a lot of tricks up his sleeve,” Woolf said.
“He’s always come up here and found a 40/ 20 or try off some of his kicks.
“It’s something we’ll talk to our back three about, but this is our home and I’d like to think – in terms of 40/ 20s, where the winds blows and stuff like that – we’re going to be on top of that.”
Kick off for tomorrow’s game at Jack Manski Oval is 4pm.