- Souths sign feeder club Townsville Blackhawks
- Queensland club is a proven rugby league nursery
- Souths also recently signed the Titans feeder club
South Sydney has continued its push north of the border by pouncing on one of the most powerful clubs in north Queensland, which is sure to upset Cowboys fans.
The Bunnies have signed a two-year deal with QLD Cup team the Townsville Blackhawks to become a feeder club for Souths.
The news comes just days after Souths signed an exclusive deal with Keebra Park High School – one of the country’s top rugby league schools – in a move that is a blow to the Titans.
Souths will now have direct access to some of the best junior talent in North Queensland, which has long produced some of the sport’s top players.
The aggressive move north comes as the Bunnies seek to expand their elite trail systems.
Just days after taking over one of the Titan’s top feeder schools, Souths have struck again, signing a deal with the Townsville Blackhawks
The Cowboys recently ended a nine-year relationship with the Blackhawks
“We have great respect and admiration for the Townsville Blackhawks,” said South’s chief operating officer Brock Schaefer.
‘Our clubs share many values and both place the community at the heart of our activities. We look forward to kick-starting this partnership with the Blackhawks as we see it providing tremendous opportunities for players, coaches and staff from both organizations.
“Similar to our agreement with Keebra Park State High School, we identified in our strategic plan and football review that we must continue to grow our footprint and increase our investments in our elite pathway programs.
“This has proven to be a sign of success at the NRL level of the game and this affiliation agreement will complement the local pathway we have established in the NSWRL competitions.
“We understand that for many young players coming from Townsville and the surrounding districts, the Cowboys may be the club they want to continue their career with and we fully respect that, but we will work with the Blackhawks to encourage players who want to . to broaden their horizons and look elsewhere to make the Rabbitohs their choice for the NRL club.”
Souths had a disappointing season in 2023, failing to reach the final for the first time since 2017, and acquiring elite rugby league nurseries will certainly pay off in years to come.
The club’s partnership with Keebra Park High School will irritate Titans fans, with the school producing some of the most talented players in the NRL including Benji Marshall, Reece Walsh and Payne Haas.
Souths have had a disappointing season and the acquisition of new rugby league farms will certainly pay off for the Sydney club
The news that the Blackhawks are also signing with the Rabbitohs will come as a blow to the Cowboys, who recently emerged from a nine-year relationship with the feeder club.
The new agreement will provide opportunities for players in Townsville to join the Souths system for training and playing opportunities, professional development opportunities for coaches from both teams and the establishment of a partnership committee.