It’s an opportunity he’s always wanted, says Blackhawks coach Woolf Byrnes gets nod at No. 1
PAUL Byrnes has been tasked with filling arguably the biggest boots in the Townsville Blackhawks’ three- year history, having been named to play at fullback in place of injured Carlin Anderson.
Byrnes, a Townsville junior and former Broncos under- 20s star, replaces Anderson ahead of Sunday’s elimination semifinal against the Easts Tigers in Brisbane.
Anderson was the Queens- land Cup’s leading tryscorer heading into last weekend’s final round game against the Sunshine Coast, but the Blackhawks were left reeling after he was taken to hospital with a broken forearm.
Coach Kristian Woolf said he would contemplate his backline changes during the week but quickly settled on Byrnes, who made a return from injury last month.
The rest of the Blackhawks’ team remains the same, with Michael Parker- Walshe and Sam Hoare overcoming injury scares.
“I signed Paul and Carlin together at the start of the year and expected them to compete for the fullback role,” he said. “I promised them the best man through the pre- season would get the start, and that was a really close tussle.
“Paul certainly showed he would be a very accomplished fullback.
“Carlin just edged him in the trials and then unfortunately Paul got injured and missed a big chunk of the season, but he gets a massive opportunity now.
“It’s an opportunity he’s always wanted and you don’t get a bigger game than a knockout semi- final, and he really gets to stamp his authority on that position and make it his own.
“I really hope he sees it that way, and certainly team.”
The Blackhawks were left reeling in more ways than one, with last week’s 42- 16 loss the second biggest suffered by the Blackhawks this year.
Only their 42- 4 loss to PNG in Port Moresby was bigger, but in a show of grit the Blackhawks hit back a week later to beat premiership heavyweights Redcliffe.
Woolf is counting on the same type of turnaround to overturn last week’s lethargic effort and reignite his team’s premiership ambitions.
“It’s certainly what we need to do ... I’d like to think the em- if he does that he’ll help us win as a barrassment of that game – and the fact we're coming into finals – gives us a real boost and some real energy,” he said.
“The disappointing thing is that on too many occasions we put ourselves in a position where we are really not happy with what we tossed up or a little embarrassed with what we’ve tossed up.
“We want to make the most of being in finals again and making sure we have no regrets this time, as we’ve had from the last couple of years.
“It’s also about putting on a performance that we can be really proud of and one that shows the hard work we’ve been putting in.”