Northern Heat finetunes as end is in sight

The Northern Heat squads have had the final training run of the 2021/2022 program and are as ready as they’ll ever be to tackle their opponents in the end of program matches.

The focus of the last training session was on kicking to hit targets, with a particular emphasis on kicking on the run in a match situation. After the session Heat Head Coach Luke Stanford said the improvement was plain to see.

“The keys to modern footy are kicking and running. We already knew the players had done the work with their strength and conditioning program and are now able to maintain a running intensity for a much longer time, but we’re also now seeing the improvement in their kicking,” Stanford said.

“They’re not only able to hit more targets, but they’re providing good service to players on the lead, and are also doing it when moving in traffic themselves.”

The Under 16 Heat squad finishes their program with matches against Southport Sharks (Queensland) and Carine Cats (WA) on Saturday 9 April at Fankhauser Reserve, Southport.

The Under 18 Heat squad were scheduled to play Coolangatta Blues at Southport on the same day, but a last minute fixture change has meant that the Blues are no longer available. Efforts are already underway to find another opponent for the group so that they get the chance to finish with a match and put together everything they’ve learnt over the past five months.

Further details of the matches will be provided in the near future.