2016 Townsville Blackhawks season

The 2016 Townsville Blackhawks season was the second in the club's history. Coached by Kristian Woolf and co-captained by Glenn Hall and Anthony Mitchell, they compete in the Intrust Super Cup.

Season summary

The year started off on a sour note, with club captain Daniel Beasley tearing his ACL and being ruled out for the season.^[1] In his place, Glenn Hall and Anthony Mitchell were announced as co-captains of the team.^[2] Coming off a minor premiership and Grand Final appearance in 2015, the Blackhawks got off to a strong start to their second season in the Intrust Super Cup, winning their first five games. On May 19, inaugural Blackhawk Neville Costigan retired due to a chronic knee injury.^[3]

Milestones

• Round 1: Sam Foster, Sam Hoare, Delouise Hoeter, Kyle Laybutt, Willie Minoga, David Munro and Kieran Quabba made their debuts for the club.
• Round 1: Sam Hoare scored his first try for the club.
• Round 2: Delouise Hoeter scored his first try for the club.
• Round 3: Kyle Laybutt scored his first try for the club.
• Round 4: Lona Kaifoto made his debut for the club.
• Round 5: Hezron Murgha made his debut for the club.
• Round 5: Hezron Murgha scored his first try for the club.
• Round 6: Conor Carey and Brenden Santi made his debut for the club.
• Round 12: Matthew Bowen and Andrew Niemoeller made his debut for the club.
• Round 16: Davin Crampton made his debut for the club.
• Round 19: Daniel Strickland made his debut for the club.

2016 squad

Squad Movement

Gains

Player	Signed From	Until End of	Notes
Matthew Bowen	Wigan Warriors	2016	[4]
Conor Carey	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[5]
Davin Crampton	Gold Coast Titans	2016	[6]
Sam Foster	Tweed Heads Seagulls	2016	[7]
Glenn Hall	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[8]
Delouise Hoeter	Wests Tigers	2016	[9]
Lona Kaifoto	Burdekin Roosters	2016	[10]
Willie Minoga	PNG Hunters	2016	[11]
David Munro	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[12]
Hezron Murgha	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[13]
Andrew Niemoeller	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[14]
Temone Power	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[15]
Kieran Quabba	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[16]
Brenden Santi	Wests Tigers	2016	[17]

Losses

Player	Signed To	Until End of	Notes
Neville Costigan	Retired	-	[18]
Jahrome Hughes	North Queensland Cowboys	2016	[19]
Tom Humble	North Thuringowa Devils	2016	[20]
Jack Kelleher	Townsville Brothers	2016	[21]
Chris McLean	Retired	-	[22]
Mitchell Seri	Herbert River Crushers	2016	[23]
Tyler Smith	Released	-	[24]
Ricky Thorby	Retired	-	[25]
Dennis Tomarchio	Townsville Brothers	2016	[26]

Fixtures

Pre-season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals
Saturday, 6 February	Trial 1	Northern Pride	Jack Manski Oval	22 – 10	Niemoeller (2), Minoga, Parker-Walshe	Parker-Walshe (3)
Thursday, 11 February	Trial 2	North Queensland Cowboys	Jack Manski Oval	16 – 18	Martin, Pangai, Reuben	Laybutt (2)
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw

Regular season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals
Saturday, 5 March	Round 1	Redcliffe Dolphins	Jack Manski Oval	18 – 16	O'Neill (2), Hoare, Hughes	Foster (1)
Sunday, 13 March	Round 2	Ipswich Jets	North Ipswich Reserve	30 – 18	Parker-Walshe (2), Hoeter, Pangai, Reuben	Laybutt (5)
Saturday, 19 March	Round 3	Souths Logan Magpies	Jack Manski Oval	46 – 26	Reuben (2), Hall, Hoeter, Hughes, Laybutt, Martin, Mitchell, O'Neill	Laybutt (5)
Saturday, 26 March	Round 4	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	Jack Manski Oval	50 – 10	Pangai (2), Reuben (2), Hall, Hoeter, Martin, Mitchell, O'Neill, Parker-Walshe	Laybutt (5)
Sunday, 3 April	Round 5	Tweed Heads Seagulls	Piggabeen Sports Complex	42 – 8	Murgha (2), Hoeter, Hughes, Minoga, Norford, Pangai, Parker-Walshe	Jensen (3), Laybutt (2)
Sunday, 10 April	Round 6	PNG Hunters	National Football Stadium	10 – 11	Martin, Minoga	Laybutt (1)
Sunday, 17 April	Round 7	Sunshine Coast Falcons	Sunshine Coast Stadium	40 – 12	Hughes (2), Martin (2), Norford, Reuben, Underwood	Jensen (4), Laybutt (2)
Sunday, 24 April	Round 8	Northern Pride	Jack Manski Oval	26 – 13	Reuben (2), Laybutt, Norford, Santi	Laybutt (3)
Sunday, 1 May	Round 9	Burleigh Bears	Pizzey Park	28 – 28	Murgha (2), Reuben (2), Pangai	Laybutt (3), Jensen (1)
Saturday, 14 May	Round 10	CQ Capras	Jack Manski Oval	34 – 16	Murgha (2), Underwood (2), Martin, O'Neil	Laybutt (3), Jensen (2)
Saturday, 21 May	Round 11	Mackay Cutters	Jack Manski Oval	52 – 8	Reuben (3), Hughes (2), Parker-Walshe 2, Hoeter, Jensen, Quabba	Laybutt (6)
Saturday, 28 May	Round 12	Easts Tigers	Suzuki Stadium	20 – 29	Hoeter (2), Pangai, Reuben	Laybutt (2)
Sunday, 5 June	Round 13	Norths Devils	Jack Manski Oval	32 – 12	Bowen, Jensen, Ma'afu, Mitchell, Reuben, Santi	Bowen (2), Jensen (2)
Sunday, 12 June	Round 14	Redcliffe Dolphins	Dolphin Oval	16 – 18	Hughes, Kaifoto, Murgha	Bowen (2)
Saturday, 18 June	Round 15	Ipswich Jets	Jack Manski Oval	12 – 24	Hoeter, Reuben	Bowen (2)
Saturday, 25 June	Round 16	Sunshine Coast Falcons	Jack Manski Oval	22 – 12	Carey, Hoeter, Jensen, Pangai	Foster (3)
Saturday, 2 July	Round 17	Souths Logan Magpies	Davies Park	12 – 30	Martin, Santi	Jensen (2)
	Round 18	Bye
Saturday, 16 July	Round 19	Burleigh Bears	Jack Manski Oval	20 – 26	Pangai (2), Hoeter, Ma'afu	Bowen (1), Jensen (1)
Saturday, 23 July	Round 20	CQ Capras	Alec Inch Oval	74 – 12	Martin (3), Carey (2), Pangai (2), Bowen, Crampton, Hoeter, Minoga, Parker-Walshe, Thompson	Bowen (7), Jensen (4)
Friday, 29 July	Round 21	Mackay Cutters	BB Print Stadium	16 – 14	Kaifoto, Pangai, Parker-Walshe	Bowen (2)
Sunday, 7 August	Round 22	Northern Pride	Barlow Park	22 – 20	Hoeter, Laybutt, Martin, Mitchell, Pangai	Bowen (1)
Saturday, 13 August	Round 23	PNG Hunters	Jack Manski Oval	24 – 20	Laybutt (2), Hoeter, Niemoeller	Laybutt (3), Murgha (1)
	Round 24	Bye
Sunday, 28 August	Round 25	Norths Devils	Bishop Park	48 – 22	Hughes (2), Laybutt (2), Parker-Walshe (2), Reuben (2), Thompson	Laybutt (6)
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Statistics

* = North Queensland Cowboys contracted-players

References