TOWNSVILLE Blackhawks coach Aaron Payne will field a rotation of three playmakers as his team prepares to open the season against old foes the Ipswich Jets.

Returning foundation player Michael Parker-Walshe and Kyle Laybutt will start in the halves for Sunday’s televised Queensland Cup clash, with off-season recruit and former Broncos contracted playmaker Shaun Nona named on the bench.

The trio impressed Payne in the club’s final trial match against the Mackay Cutters, which the Blackhawks won 26-18.

“I still haven’t (settled on a halves combination), I thought all three played really well,” Payne said.

“Shaun obviously didn’t get as much time, but I thought when he was on he played well.

“I thought the other two players were really good as well.

“So it’s probably a case of trying to find a spot for all three of them in the team.

“It’s not a conventional thing to do, but given that they’re experienced and going well they probably all deserve an opportunity.

“I’m not too sure how the rotation will work yet, but like I said they all deserve an opportunity.”

Blackhawks forward Kieran Quabba (concussion) will be rested from the season opener, but Jake Marketo (shoulder) has been named to play despite suffering a shoulder injury in the Mackay trial.

“The main thing is he (Marketo) needs to build up the strength,” Payne said.

“It’s a long turnaround of eight days, so I’m hoping he will be alright.”

Interchange forward Sam Murphy, who played in the Blackhawks’ trial win, will be ineligible to play as he serves out a suspension carried over from last season.

The Cowboys under-20s product will be eligible to play in the Blackhawks’ Round 2 clash against Tweed Seagulls.

Payne is likely to receive Cowboys’ allocations this weekend, however, with Te Maire Martin and Francis Molo among the first-grade players allocated to the Blackhawks this year.

The Blackhawks and Jets enter Sunday’s game on the back of a relatively short but rich history of running battles, which started with Ipswich’s win against the Blackhawks in the 2015 Q Cup grand final.

The Jets have been able to rattle more fancied opponents in recent years with their unorthodox style of play featuring short kick-offs and adherence to time in possession.

“They’re unorthodox in the way they attack and defend, and they’re a hard team to plan against,” Payne said.

“But I think it’s a good thing we get to play them in Round 1 because as coaches you generally focus on your own team regardless of who you’re playing in the first few rounds.

“A lot of the stuff they do, they try and get players unsettled and it can be distracting, but most of our side has played against Ipswich before and they’ll know what to expect.”

BLACKHAWKS TEAM.

1 Zac Santo

2 Michael Carroll

3 Shaun Hudson

4 Levi Dodd

5 Kalifa Faifai-Loa

6 Kyle Laybutt

7 Michael Parker-Walshe

8 Joe Boyce

9 Krys Freeman

15 Andrew Niemoeller (c)

11 Jake Marketo

12 Temone Power

13 Tom Gilbert

14 Shaun Nona

16 Rod Griffin

17 Ryan Lloyd

22 Sione Lousi