Talon confirm re-entry into Counter-Strike with AZR-led team

AZR returns with a new team featuring an Oceanic majority and a European AWPer.

Hong Kongese organization TALON has officially confirmed its long-rumored re-entry into Counter-Strike with a team captained by former Renegades and 100 Thieves in-game leader Aaron "⁠AZR⁠" Ward.

The Australian veteran, who last played an official match on record a year and a half ago with Sprout, has returned to link up with former Ninjas in Pyjamas coach Daniel "⁠djL⁠" Narancic and form an Oceanic-majority squad with a European AWPer, as reported by HLTV in late June.

Former Rooster up-and-comer Corey "⁠nettik⁠" Browne and ex Bad News Kangaroos teammates Jared "⁠hazr⁠" O'Bree and Christian "⁠ADDICT⁠" Pendleton form the rifling trio.

They're joined by Polish AWPer Miłosz "⁠mhL⁠" Knasiak, who last turned out for 9INE earlier this year in a brief stint on loan from Falcons, where he had been benched since November.

The new team will make its debut in HellCase Cup 10, where they will compete in Group D and match up against TSM in the opening game, on Sunday at 14:30 .

TALON's CEO, Sean Zhang, shed more light on the move in a video announcement. In it, he revealed the team will be playing from Europe for the majority of the time, in the organization's new facility, so that they can train against the best teams in the world on a consistent basis.

Zhang tempered short-term expectations for the new squad but stressed the organization's goal is to develop the Asia-Pacific region in the long term to become among the best in the world.

"We are hoping that we are able to qualify [for the Shanghai Major] as a short-term goal, but the real objective from now till the end of the year is to get as many tournaments and as many reps in," Zhang said.

"For the long term, we want to develop Asian-Pacific-based CS. We've been inspired by teams like MongolZ, and we really feel like the footprint that Talon has can provide a unique opportunity for Asian CS to be given the right opportunities to become the best in the world."

The Talon chief also teased the organization's plans to help the regional grassroots scene with tournaments and academies in the future.

TALON have the following roster:

Aaron "⁠AZR⁠" Ward
Corey "⁠nettik⁠" Browne
Jared "⁠hazr⁠" O'Bree
Christian "⁠ADDICT⁠" Pendleton
Miłosz "⁠mhL⁠" Knasiak

Daniel "⁠djL⁠" Narancic (coach)