Focus on Mackay in Foley

‘Good vibe’ drives Cairns

Cairns will treat its opening Foley Shield clash with Mackay as a preliminary final, as the Far North city hosts the tri-city rugby league tournament for the first time in years.

The annual tournament between Cairns, Townsville and Mackay starts at Barlow Park on Saturday when the home side hosts the Sugar City’s best in both men’s and women’s divisions.

And while Townsville enters the tournament as the defending Foley Shield and state champions, Cairns coach Jono Zangrande is putting his complete focus on Mackay.

“We’re going into that game as a preliminary final, and if we’re good enough and we deserve it,” Zangrande said, “Then we focus on Townsville.

“Mackay will be a tough contest and we need to throw everything at that.

“I know bits and pieces about Mackay, will reach out to some of the boys in the squad who might know more.

“You can’t do much on video or scouting with that stuff, but if they’re in a Mackay jersey, they’re probably a reasonably good player and deserve to be there.

“We have to focus on ourselves, turn the ball over in tough positions for them, and defend for the full 80 minutes.

“We need to focus on the hard stuff.”

Mossman-Port Douglas has contributed more players than any other to the side with six representatives, including their lethal left edge.

The combination of 2012

Dally M Medal winner Ben Barba, 2010 Queensland Cup champion Noel Underwood, centre Budhagi Gibuma and wingers Lewis Mene and Ryan Madua have wreaked havoc in the FNQ Rugby League, and Zangrande is taking that winning formula into battle.

Mene will miss the game against Mackay through suspension but will be right to face Townsville on Monday in what Zangrande hopes will be a quasi final.

And keeping that combo sheds some light on Cairns’ approach to the Foley Shield campaign, with an all-out attacking style to be built on the back of tough defence.

“We have points in us,” Zangrande said.

“We have a good back five and electric halves. The edges and middle will hopefully complement each other.

“Our mindset is, what we’re focusing on has to be extremely strong with our defensive efforts. I’m a coach that likes getting into the grind, and if we control possession then we put ourselves in a good shot to win it.”

Zangrande has also praised the impact Barba has had on the Cairns team, who will be out to win the region’s first Foley Shield since 2008.

“We’re all excited, there’s a good vibe around the team,” he said.

“Barba has brought some good energy to the training sessions and he’s a pleasure to coach – and everyone has lifted on the back of that. There’s a hunger to perform.

“We haven’t won a Foley Shield since (2008).”