By Tania Phillips
The 2022 rugby league season may be over but Queensland Cup side the Western Clydesdales are already looking towards next season holding Junior Road Show clinic events across their catchment area including Warwick.
As well as giving players across South West Qld a chance to play in the State competition the Western Clydesdales, who re-entered the Queensland Cup this year, after competing as the Toowoomba Clydesdales from 1996- until 2006, have connections the to Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Academy.
South West Queensland Academy Coach Blake Mara said the inaugural Roadshow was an important part of the Clydesdales future.
He said the road show was held in the lead up to the Clydesdale Challenge at the weekend. The Challenge, at Toowoomba, saw teams from Warwick and District, Roma and District, Clydesdale City and Clydesdale Country (based in and around Toowoomba) at Gold Park in Toowoomba.
“Tuesday we were in Warwick, Wednesday we went to Roma, Thursday night at Dalby for the country component and Friday night in Toowoomba,” Mara explained.
“Every clinic started with our skills clinic for six- to 12-year-olds and then after that the teams from the area did a captains run and then we did the jersey presentation afterwards,” he said.
He said each of the country areas attracted thirty youngsters with fifty juniors attending Toowoomba’s event.
The weekend games involved Under 16s and Under 18 boys as well Under 18 girls and acted as trials for Western Clydesdales younger teams for next year.
