RUGBY LEAGUE

WITH only a few weeks before the start of the 2014 Mackay rugby league season the Whitsunday Brahmans were put through their paces at their annual Mount Whitsunday run on Saturday.

The club started their pre-season training back on January 8 and had a good turn-up of players for the gruelling run on Saturday morning.

Luke Henry was the winner in a time of 8 minutes and 16 seconds, ahead of Bruce Lauaga in 8.37.

The only female competitor Ashlee Rowe finished in third in an impressive time of 9.04 and Whitsunday Raiders player Martin Roveda rounded out the top four with 9.56.

After the run the team held a function at the Reef Gateway Hotel which coach Anthony Blackwood said was a great way for the new players in the team to meet each other.

"There are a lot of new faces at the club and we have a lot of hard work to do before the season starts," he said.

"We lost some key players in the off-season but have also added three new English players - Jack Briscoe, Sam Camdlin and Callum Wilkinson - who will be great for our team this year."

The club also welcomed talented New Zealand players Tuki Jackson and Ivan Penehe to the team for 2014 and the club is determined to feature in finals football this year.

The Brahmans will play a 10s tournament in Bowen in two weeks and will then host the Magpies at Les Stagg Oval for a pre-season hit-out before kicking off their season on March 22.