Elliott urges Blackhawks’ young guns to maintain focus

TOWNSVILLE Blackhawks under-20s players are at a crucial point in their development, and coach Dave Elliott is determined to get them back on the field in some capacity.

While a return to training is inevitable, the team will await the final verdict on the Townsville and District Rugby League’s senior competition as to whether it will proceed in 2020 or not.

For those players who will be unable to partake in next year’s under-20s competition due to their age, a pivotal season to put themselves in selection frames for NRL and Intrust Super Cup clubs has been stripped by the coronavirus pandemic.

Elliott said the players were willing to do whatever it took to get back to playing football — potentially even trying their hand in the Townsville rugby union.

“I think the player in those early stages you’re really only learning what the game is about, and certainly understanding yourself as a player – your strengths and weakness,” Elliott said.

“That understanding is basically a continual search for improvement.

“I think our group probably were just starting to realise what it actually took to improve and continue that development.

“With age comes maturity and a big part of being a professional rugby league player is having the maturity to understand what it takes.

“We certainly have an obligation to our players and the club to make sure when we do get back into pre-season that we have continued their physical development, their skill development and at this stage more importantly continued that social interaction as young people and as a club.”

The young guns of the Blackhawks system were bolstered last week by the Cowboys debut of former teammate Hamiso TabuaiFidow.

At just 18 the speedster entrenched himself into North

Queensland rugby league with a stand out performance in a losing outfit, and will line up at fullback against Wests Tigers in the absence of Valentine Holmes.

Elliott said given the uncertainty COVID-19 has created for many young players and their futures, it was a timely reminder that there was still work to be done if they wanted to realise their rugby league goals.

Now, even with nothing to play for, was the time to put in the work to go to the next level.