FNQ Bulls coach Peter Tokesi has kept a few cards up his sleeve in naming the club's inaugural squad for its Queensland State League soccer premiership debut.

The Bulls have announced an initial list of 17 players ahead of the premiership kick-off on March 7, keeping three spots in reserve for later additions to the squad.

Tokesi yesterday said the spots were likely to go to players in the 19-21 years age group with the team list currently leaning heavily towards experienced
campaigners.

"It’s no coincidence that the better players are older because they are experienced," he said. "Now it’s just a case of trying to get the right combinations."

Tokesi said young attacking trio Blake Cremer (Edge Hill Saints), Tamas Maffey-Stumpe (Mareeba) and Trevor Faddy (Marlin Coast) were among those in contention for the final spots along with Stratford’s Neil Mapp and Edge Hill’s Nick Notaras.

He said the additional players would be added closer to the season start and that there was still a lot of work for the squad to do before the Bulls’ opening match against Capricorn Cougars at Mareeba’s Borzi Park.

"I feel good about the squad, but we still need something else, or someone else, up front," he said.

Tokesi said his players had lifted their training intensity but needed to improve further, particularly the speed of their play, before they would be ready for the QSL premiership.

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