North Ward building for grand finale

NORTH Ward have vowed to keep their Townsville and District Rugby Union premiership campaign rolling despite hitting a major roadblock.

The Old Boys were humbled by premiers Teachers West last weekend 62-5 and poured cold water over the team’s season opening 13-point win over Charters Towers.

North Ward take on a resurgent Brothers, who overcame their own massive defeat at the hands of Teachers to down Charters Towers 22-12 last weekend.

“Every club wants to build in confidence, but with our coaching staff we have a lot of knowledge there from our old boys and we can build off that hopefully,” North Ward’s Matt Corrigan said.

“We have some new blokes involved in the club as well.

“A few old boys have came back and given us a hand, so we’ve had some really good preparation. We’ve been building in the last two seasons and we’ve been getting better, and this season we think we’re a chance of playing in the grand final. It’s what everyone plays for.”

North Ward reached last year’s semi-finals and managed to secure a handful of tough wins against highly rated opposition, a trend which Corrigan hopes will continue today against the resurgent Brethren.

“You put in the work at training so that you give yourself every chance of getting the result you want,” he said.

Burdekin, who also reached last year’s semi-finals, are coming off a bye after losing their Round 1 clash against an impressive Army 25-14.

It was a deflating start for the Canetoads, but with players like Jonathan Taylor Dickson around they are sure to put in a competitive performance against JCU.

A trip down under turned into a fully fledged rugby adventure for Dickson, 24, who arrived in North Queensland from the US two years ago.

The Canetoads prop works in hospitality and is playing his second season of TDRU with the Burdekin.

“It’s a great club with great people and it’s really hard training,” Dickson said.

“I played four or five years before over in the states in high school, and then I left uni and played men’s league and then came over here.”

Dickson rates the TDRU as the toughest rugby he has played.

“It’s a lot more fluid, whereas it was a bit more backwards at home,” he said.

“My friends are bit jealous, they all have a few things to say but it’s a lot of fun.”

TDRU Round 3.

3.40pm North Ward v Brothers, Hugh St; 5.10pm JCU v Burdekin, Hugh St; 6.30pm Charters Towers v Teachers West, Charters Towers.