Battle lines drawn for Central Comets

[DIEHARD]

Battle lines drawn for Central Comets

By Aaron Kelly

The Central Comets will return to rugby league’s traditional play- ing roots for the 2005 Queensland Cup.

The Comets will play half of their home games next season on a Sunday when the club’s finals charge kicks-off with a Sunday af- ternoon showdown against Tweed Heads on March 13.

In a draft draw released last week, Central’s first four home games will be staged on a Sunday with afternoon matches against the Seagulls (Round 1), Toowoom- ba (Round 4) and premiers Easts (Round six) before a Sunday night clash against Souths Logan (Round 8 ).

A Round 12 showdown with Wynnum will be the first of four big Saturday night games before they take on Norths (Round 15), Redcliffe (Round 19) and Ipswich (Round 21), while the Comets are also scheduled to play Souths Lo- gan in Round 18 in Blackwater.

In a first for the club, Central will play sister-club North Queensland on a Friday night at Browne Park in Round 19.

The two teams’ first meeting will be a curtain-raiser to the NRL’s Queensland derby between the Cowboys and Broncos in Townsville in Round 10.

Comets chairman Rob Crow said the success of this year’s Sunday night match against Ips- wich played a key role, but admit- ted Saturday night games were still the preferred option.

“It will be something different next season, but that’s not to say we go back to more Saturday night games in 2006,’’ Crow said.

Crow said the completion of de- velopments to Rockhampton Leagues Club’s corporate facili- ties was also a factor with the suc- cess of this year’s introduction of post-match functions.

Comets chief executive Jamie Boon will attend a QRL meeting on January 20 where the draw will be finalised.

Boon said the club’s recruit- ment was almost complete with the full squad to resume training on January 3.

The Comets launch their NRL pre-season challenge against Melbourne at Browne Park on Febru- ary 5.

The club will also play NRL feeder club North Queensland (February 12) and Canberra (Feb- ruary 26) in the build-up to the Queensland Cup.

 

[Sydney Carton]

Gonna be hot.

 

[gullsfan]

What kind of temperature, even for a night game, could you reasonably expect in Rocky early Feb?

 

[oxenham]

Does this mean players will be forced to take a day off or get the red eye from Rocky Monday Morn :roll:

 

[Sgt Schultz]

My guess would be fly back Sunday night.

 

[oxenham]

Sarge
I am not certain if there would be a suitably timed plane out of Rocky Sunday night.Anyhow, I am sure the QRL will have the bases covered 8)

 

[Sgt Schultz]

Our game is still a Saturday I think so it won't be a problem for us.

But I thought from memory there is a flight out of Rocky about 7.00 on a Sunday night.

 

[oxenham]

There is one about seven.Boys would want to be on best behaviour.

 

[Comets_Harko]

This time of year it is about 30-35 even at night and I will tell you this much it's a touch humid up here these days.

Will be interesting to see how the Sunday thing works, cannot see why not.