The Daily Mercury Thursday 26 April 2013
Four Mackay players have a hell of a challenge ahead of them today as they join the Gold Coast Suns team to face off against the Brisbane Lions.
Mackay City Hawks players Nabako Stow and Aaron Wade haven't been scared off playing with the Suns reserves team after it was confirmed they would be up against AFL great Simon Black.
Black is on his way back to the top after an eight-month lay-off following knee surgery and is playing with the Lions' reserves team.
"I just hope he doesn't play on me," Stow said. "It'll definitely be an experience to play against one of the highest calibre of players in the AFL. Hopefully I'll learn something and see how he plays and take it back to my footy game."
Stow's teammate Wade, 21, is also excited at the opportunity.
"I think it'll be an interest point, just to get a sight into how they play and how hard they work," Wade said.
Fellow Mackay City Hawks player Josh Chiswell along with Eastern Swans player Todd Carbone will also join the Suns' team.
Stow, 19, said they he received the good news on Monday at training.
"I was ecstatic really," Stow said.
"It's a great opportunity, it's probably the highest level I've played at."
"I'm a little nervous," Wade said. "But I'm going to treat it like a normal game… and hopefully get near the ball!"
Playing on Anzac Day is a personal thing for Stow, whose grandfather was a soldier.
"It means a lot, just to play in front of the diggers and all the crowd on Anzac Day, it's a big day."
The players are trying not to think about their game too much and don't believe the expected crowd of four to five thousand people would put them off their game.
"I'll try and treat it like a normal game and not let it get in my head," Wade said.
Last Modified on 29/04/2013 12:43