Jets on the move
15.12.2006
MARCO MONTEVERDE
IPSWICH hooker Adam Boettcher says the Jets? decision to switch four of their home games to Carrara next season will help the Queensland Cup club attract some much-needed support. The Jets will play the Young Guns (May 5), Burleigh (June 2), Tweed Heads (June 30) and the Central Comets (July 21) in curtain-raisers to Gold Coast Titans NRL matches against North Queensland, Canberra, the New Zealand Warriors and the Bulldogs.
Boettcher hailed the initiative, saying the Jets had nothing to lose because of the lack of fans that attend their home matches at North Ipswich venue, QLD Group Stadium.
?We have never had much support in Ipswich because we?ve been struggling in recent seasons,? the 21-year-old rake said. ?You can?t really blame people for not coming to see us get flogged all the time. But by playing some matches at Carrara it might give our fans some extra incentive to come and watch us play. ?There?ll be a lot more atmosphere playing at Carrara. Hopefully, it?ll be a good move for us.? Jets chief executive officer Brendan Hurst said playing home matches at Carrara would further strengthen Ipswich?s affiliation with the Titans.
?I?m sure if we didn?t play any games down there people would start to question our relationship with the Titans,? Hurst said. ?I don?t see any negatives at all. It allows our fans to watch an NRL match as well.?? Hurst said the Jets had deliberately kept matches against clubs that brought fans with them ? including Redcliffe, Wynnum-Manly and Easts ? at QLD Group Stadium.
The Jets open their season on March 17 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park and play their first home game on March 25 when Easts travel to Ipswich. On a personal note, Boettcher is hopeful a big season could earn him a run with the Titans in 2008. The former South Sydney lower grader said the Jets? four matches at Carrara would be the perfect stage for him and other Ipswich players to impress. ?It?s not going to hurt if we have a good game when there are people from the Titans watching us play,?? Boettcher said.
He tipped the Gold Coast side to become the favourite NRL team of several Ipswich football followers. ?A lot of people are already jumping on the Titans bandwagon,? Boettcher said. ?Not everyone in Ipswich likes the Broncos and with the Cowboys far away, having another team in south east Queensland to support is good.
Queensland Times