Santi’s return set to bolster Blackhawks
THE Townsville Blackhawks’ premiership quest is set for another boost with Italian international Brenden Santi a chance to return from longterm injury in tomorrow’s Queensland Cup clash against Tweed Heads at Hughenden.
The back- rower broke his wrist in the season opener against Mackay, but could come back to bolster the pack against the Seagulls.
It adds to an embarrassment of riches for the equal competition leaders, who will also welcome back prop Rod Griffin and outside back Kalifa Faifai Loa after they missed last week’s win over Ipswich.
Blackhawks coach Kristian Woolf said they would wait until closer to game time before making a decision on Santi, who returned to Townsville this season after spending last year in the Sydney Roosters’ lower grades.
“He is some chance, we just have to see where he’s at physically and whether he’s right to go,” Woolf said. “If it doesn’t happen this week, it will certainly happen this week.
“Levi Dodd will go back to his usual spot in the centres after playing back row for us last week.”
Bench utility Brent Woolf is racing the clock to overcome an elbow injury, determining role Faifai Loa assumes against the 12th- placed Seagulls.
The Queensland Cup will hold the annual Country Week round this weekend, and Kristian Woolf said the squad relishes the chance to play in areas starved of high- quality football.
“We love it, particularly when it’s in our area,” Woolf said. “We’ve been lucky enough to play a game in Charters Towers, which we really enjoyed, and last year we went to Winton.
“Our area goes right out to Mt Isa. We enjoy taking these games to those places and I know the boys love it. You get an appreciation for the crowd, and it’s a bit different and a bit more fun for our blokes.”
With so much attack at their disposal, the Blackhawks have focused on defensive intensity in recent weeks.
“We’ve built some real consistency lately in how we want to defend, and at this time of year we need to keep that up,” Woolf said.