While the Mount Isa Rugby League pre-season competition doesn’t kick off until March 13, Kyle has already established a basic squad of possible players to represent the city in the match against the Mid West competition in April.

From that match in Hughenden, to be played on April 4, the best players from both competitions will join as one to form a Foley Shield side to compete in Townsville over the Easter weekend.

Kyle, who also coaches the Blackstars, said it was imperative for the league’s best players to start training together now.

“A lot of the comps in Townsville and Rockhampton have been training since before Christmas, so if we don’t start now we’ll have no chance of being competitive,” he said.

“I think we’ll have a side talented enough to beat the Mid West again but if we don’t know each other we’ll struggle.”

Kyle’s team manager Jeff Gleadhill said players should be striving to represent Mount Isa and push for Foley Shield selection.

“When I was growing up the players who went to Foley Shield were the town heroes. I used to idolise them. People like Frank Daisy were immortals in Mount Isa,” he said.

Also helping Kyle is Greg Fietz, who will act as assistant coach. Jim Newport will be the first aid manager and Nigel Ward, Graham Shield and Steve Law will also assist at training.

Mount Isa’s first representative training session is tonight at Alec Inch Oval from 6.30pm.

The provisional squad will train each Wednesday night until the final squad is announced after March 13.

The squad is: Ben Baillie, Brendan Baillie, Carl Bambrick, Dave Bartolo, Gavin Bunney, Eddie Campbell, Brent Clark, Trevor Chong, Patrick Carney, Billy Dahl, Timmy Daniels, Daryl Duncan, Jerry Esrom, Rob Ferris, Josh Hema, Rob Herbert, Zeb Kyle, Matty Macnamara, Billy McConachie, James Maher, Quentin Marshall, Scott McMahon, Cameron Moore, Daryl Nahow, Marty O’Brien, Lester O’Neill, Anton Saltmere, Jackson Seymour, Jacob Takurit, Martin Taylor, Chris Thinee, Ben Watt, Jamie Williams, Rob Willis, Johnny Venz.