NQ Gold Stars skipper to miss Mackay competition Hoepper resting up

AS Townsville Brothers’ women’s side prepares to take on the Mackay rugby league competition, they will be forced to do so without their inspirational skipper.

North Queensland Gold Stars captain and former Dally M medal winner Jenni-sue Hoepper will be missing in action due to a back injury. However she will still ensure her presence is felt around the Brothers group.

It was in 2014 that Hoepper sustained the injury to a disc in her lower back, which has been niggling away as her football commitments have increased.

However the coronavirus pandemic has finally opened a window for her to rest it to full fitness in preparation for next year’s QRLW competition.

“It’s nothing major, but I’ve been getting on top of it while COVID had come along, so I’m just trying to get that right and have a good shot next year,” Hoepper said.

“Not only that, but I guess I haven’t played too much football this year so I made that decision that I’d try to be smart about it and take the rest of the season off when there’s not too much happening within footy.

“But I’m definitely going to be around training and help the girls out. With my experience I really like to help out where I can and I’ve got a great relationship with our coach Rothana (Baira) who allows me to jump in whenever just to pass on my knowledge to the girls.”

While the star halfback will keep her duties to a mentorship role this season, she has big hopes for Brothers lock Lyrech Mara.

The Gold Stars squad member missed out on selection for the one and only QRLW match this year against Ipswich, and Hoepper predicted the “very physical and smart footy player” to rise to the challenge and make a statement in the Mackay competition. Having been deprived of rugby league for so long a buzz has returned to the Brothers group with game time finally imminent. And Hoepper believed the added sense of rivalry each game would fuel her side.

Not only were they representing Townsville Brothers, she said, but they were flying the flag for the entire community, and that was a burden they were proud to shoulder.

“You’ve got the Moranbah Miners who will be fairly strong, but then you’ve also got one of our development coaches for the Gold Stars, Marco Peters – he coaches a team and they won the grand final last season,” Hoepper said.

“When we do have our Foley Shield weekend and play against Mackay there is a bit of that rivalry there, so it will definitely be there.

“Quite a few of the Mackay girls are also my teammates for the North Queensland Gold Stars, so it would’ve been really good to be a part of that competition.

“It’ll be great for our Townsville Brothers girls to be a part of that and be challenged, but also hopefully we can take a lot from that comp. It might even help with our comp here in Townsville and help it grow.”

The reformatted Rugby League Mackay and District season will begin on August 1, with an eight-week regular season and a two-week finals series.