Brothers ready for call up to the NQPL

BROTHERS coach Mark Heath has backed Football Queensland’s introduction of the FQ Premier League but admitted there were plenty of questions that remained unanswered.

The new competition, which will replace the North Queensland Football Premier League, is expected to align competitions across regional Queensland.

It is understood the local Premier League will continue as it has been played, but there will be an opportunity for the top sides from Far North and Gulf, North and Whitsunday Coast to play off in a Champions League-style tournament throughout the season.

The winners of that tournament will then play off against the victors of the Central and Southeast Queensland conferences in a Champion of Champions tournament.

It is understood the tournament restructure will remove the need for the end-of-season Crad Evans Shield final.

Heath said the opportunity to get regular competition against their regional rivals would only strengthen his side’s resolve, but admitted travel and costs needed to be taken into account.

“I haven’t really had a chance to go through all the information, but if you can play against the top sides more often it will be at the benefit of everyone involved,” he said.

“The standard of football will lift from the Mackay region up.

“The travel side of things could become difficult if we are travelling every other week. Economically it could be a bit of a struggle for some clubs.”

While Far North club Edge Hill has had the wood over Townsville rivals for the past two editions of the Crad Evans Shield, Heath remained confident his side would be competitive in the FQPL.

“I think the reason why they are getting the results is because you are not familiar with their style of game plan, you don’t have a lot of time to work it out,” he said.

“If you are playing them week in and week out, you can adapt to it. But they have got a very good side and they have been together for a few years.”