Ex-keeper perfect fit for Blackhawks
THE Townsville Blackhawks have recruited former Brisbane Roar goalkeeper and Burdekin junior Matt Ham as their head of strength and conditioning for a new-look season of Queensland Cup.
Ham was the Roar’s gloveman from 2007-10 and also spent time with former ALeague outfit the North Queensland Fury, and he now enters a sporting code that – from the outside – appears to be chalk and cheese from the round ball game.
But with a masters in sports science and plenty of experience in strength and fitness, Ham is ready to meet the challenge head-on.
“To be honest, it’s up there in the echelon of jobs that I’ve held, and I guess it’s out of my comfort zone,” Ham said.
“But it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to, and what they have set up out here would rival some NRL clubs.
“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel, I just need to add to what I think needs some tweaking and just help them improve.”
Perhaps the biggest challenge from a strength and fitness perspective will be the Queensland Cup’s adoption of the six-again rule, which has led to greater fitness demands for players.
“My main focus will be to train the players, so they are fresh and strong, and to protect them during pre-season from soft tissue injuries, to keep them on the field longer during the season,” Ham said.
He has held strength and conditions positions with the Roar, Queensland Rugby League Referees, the Guam national football team, and with many professional and semi-professional athletes.
Ham has spent the past six years owning and operating a gym in Brisbane, and recently moved back to Townsville with his wife and young family.
He joins a Blackhawks team with plenty of experience in strength and conditioning, including long-time strength and conditioning coaches John Alloway and Christian Quabba.
Football operations manager Adrian Thomson said
Ham would be a perfect fit for the Blackhawks.
“There’s going to be different challenges with the sixagain rules, and there will be changes with our pre-season,” Thomson said.
“We’ve got guys who have laid a strong platform for us, and we’re very confident Matt will build on that.
“He originated from our region, has very good credentials and is also a good person, which is important for our club.”
The Blackhawks’ pre-season starts on November 25.