Raiders to have crack at top four

RUGBY PORT Douglas will start the FNQ Rugby season on Saturday determined to put an exclamation point on their stunning return to the competition.

The Reef Raiders didn’t have enough players to enter a team in 2017, but with more than 30 players on the books the competition’s northernmost team finds itself in a position to be a serious challenger for the Rainforestation Cup.

Dylan Leahy will again captain the side with Travis Gooch promoted from assistant coach to the head role.

President Don Murday told the Cairns Post it was shaping as a strong year for the side, which won just two of 15 games last season to finish bottom of the table.

The core group has returned for another tilt at the title, while the influx of players provides Port Douglas with enough depth to cover injuries.

Every team wants to win the title, but Murday’s aim is for his side to finish in the top four of what he expected to be a tightly-fought competition.

“It’s definitely to reach the finals,” he said.

“The competition is looking really close this year.

“I think Southside and Barron Trinity are leading the pack, but the rest of the teams are extremely tight.”

The Reef Raiders will face the toughest test in FNQ Rugby in Saturday’s seasonopener, as they take on the three-time premiership-winning Bulls at Machans Beach.

The main event of an Agrade double header, the clash shapes as Port Douglas’s first chance to impress over 80 minutes.

Port Douglas played well during the pre-season 10s and Lightning XVs formats over the past three weeks, but will get to seriously test itself against the team which has set the standard in Far North Queensland for the past three seasons.

“To come up against a top side will be a good gauge of where we are,” Murday said.

Kick-off is at 4pm.

editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost