Goondiwindi will once again be hosting the Border State Challenge Knockout on Saturday, February 16.
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Fourteen teams from NSW and Queensland will face off against each other in a knockout tournament, with a total of 22 games being played, competing for $14,000 in prize money and state bragging rights.
Each team will bring a squad of 25 players to play at least two games of 20-minute halves.
Dallas Green Memorial will return for their third year, playing in memory of a mate lost far too soon.
Moree Boars captain coach Stan Swan will once again play in the side, made up mostly of players from Moree and Dallas’ mates.
Swan says it’s a great day with very high quality footy on show.
“It is very competitive, very tough. It’s very hot out there, you have to work extra hard,” he said.
The weather won’t be as scorching as it was last year but temperatures are still expected to reach 34 degrees so it will be a tough test for all involved.
There is $14,000 up for grabs for the overall winner, $2000 for the runner up and teams that lose their first game have a chance to win $1000 in the consolation bracket.
In last year’s tournament, Dallas Green Memorial made it to the final of the consolation bracket, after losing their first game.
Unfortunately they fell just two points shy in the loss to Bruce Binge Memorial.
Swan is hoping to firstly get the win in that important first game.
“We’re going to hopefully be in the main draw, then hopefully win it,” he said.
“We’ve been going for a few years now so it’d be good to get the win.”
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Swan and the Moree Boars have also been hard at work in preseason training and he’s hoping numbers will continue to increase.
“There’s a few down there that are putting in the hard yards, and they’re looking to most probably play first grade,” Swan said.
Swan has also been really pleased with how he and assistant coach Dan Thompson have been working together.
“We’re always chatting, always agreeing on everything,” he said.
“It’s working out really well between me and Dan. The group we’ve got down there now are happy with what we’re doing.”
The Boars have a preseason match planned in Newcastle in March to help prepare for the 2019 season.