Alan Kennedy | 24th June 2010



THE Webbers Retravision Cougars will be doing it tough when the team travels to Townsville this weekend.

Taking over the captaincy this week for the Cougars when they travel to Townsville will be defender Dai Thomas.
File

THE Webbers Retravision Cougars will be doing it tough when the team travels to Townsville this weekend.

The Cougars are yet to beat the Razorbacks in the Hyundai QSL and with a number of players missing for this journey it would appear the side has another mountain to climb.

Central defender Dai Thomas will wear the captain’s armband, a job that suits his style on the park.

However, the reason he takes over the job is due to Tristan Fraser wishing to give a niggling injury a further week to heal.

Fraser’s spark in the middle of the park will be missed as he is currently in third position for the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2010.

Added to the Cougars’ woes is the probable loss of Michael Cay for the Razorbacks clash.

Cay was due to serve his suspension last weekend but the Cougars’ scheduled match against Queensland Academy of Sport was postponed when their flight was cancelled.

Now the club has been informed his suspension is carried over to this week.

Coach Brad Smith said the Cougars would seek clarification as to why the suspension was not carried over to the rescheduled match with the QAS.

Joe Burke continues to struggle with a knee injury and has been unable to train and now looks set to miss at least a further week.

Jesse Thompson has to sit out the next two weeks as his appearance in Capricornia AFL with the Bulls, the day before he was due to play for the Cougars, is a breach of the club’s policy.

Smith said he has some sympathy for the player.

“He’s been good about it, he has been busting a gut to play a game,” he said.

Ironically, Thompson would have been playing against QAS and would almost certainly have been in the starting line-up this week.

“He had asked to play (Australian rules) but the Cougars said no,” Smith said.

On a more positive note the Cougars are hoping to announce a new signing over the coming week.

A Sydney-based player has trained with the side this week and impressed Smith, now the club hope the defender can gain a release from his current club and finish his season at Rockhampton.

With the Wildcats also playing at Townsville, the Cougars should have a full bench with Jordan Polkinghorne and Brydon Hume set to get minutes on the park with the senior team.


http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2010/06/24/cougars-facing-tough-test/