Petrol in the tank key for Brothers

THEY will be physically outmatched in the battle of the forward packs, but Brothers captain Blair Morgan says that could actually play in their favour.

An enthralling semi-final is expected between Brothers and North Ward (5pm, Mike Carney Oval) with the respective sides sharing the spoils in their two clashes this year.

Led by Old Boys skipper Dan Withers, Morgan’s outfit will be met with plenty of size and aggression.

But all season Brothers coach Connor Barrett has ensured fitness levels in his team have been at an all time high, and Morgan believes that is where they have an edge. If they can match it with a North Ward side desperate to win their first Townsville and District Rugby Union A-grade title until the dying stages, the added mobility of his teammates could prove the difference.

“I’m not saying North Ward aren’t fit, but when it comes to the last minutes of the game those big boys are going to be blowing – I know I am – so maybe those last few minutes we can have an edge,” Morgan said. “I think Dan was saying to me the last grand final they were in went down to the last five (minutes), that’s the motivation for them. He’s definitely a leader, he gets fired up and is a very strong footballer.

“But for us we’re a winning club, our expectations are to win the premiership every year and when we don’t we feel like we’ve failed.”

Coach Barrett’s work with Brothers has returned them to their winning ways, having endured an uncharacteristically lacklustre 2019 campaign.

Back then a host of young players were being introduced to the rigours of A-grade level football, but they have quickly adapted to finish second at the end of the regular season.

Perhaps what Barrett has brought to the table that has been most pivotal has been unpredictability, even going as far as putting players in positions typically foreign to them.

That in turn could be another arrow in their quiver, according to Morgan, who said even after a full season of rugby North Ward will have no idea what to expect from their semi-final rivals.

“Sometimes in rugby your team becomes predictable at this stage of the season, and teams can figure you out,” Morgan said. “But he’s a fan of rocking up every game and the team doesn’t know how you’re going to play.”