Teams will be aiming to begin the season on the front foot when the North Gippsland Football Netball League season kicks off on Saturday.
The stage is set for an action packed opening round with the anticipated replay of last years Grand Final to be a highlight.
CHURCHILL will be keen to start the season on the right foot against Gormandale with the unveiling of their 2008 premiership flag.
With a tough assignment first up, GORMANDALE will travel to Gaskin Park for one of the hardest matches on the fixture.
The Cougars are seen as the competitions benchmark in 2009 and will be sure to receive plenty of attention from opposition clubs with Gormandale taking aim at the reigning premiers.
Taking to the field under new coach Shane Hamilton the Tigers will be without many of last years Grand Final list, Dane McGennisken and Chris Graham among those who have made the move north while the side will miss the impact of Steve Hazelman and Leigh Cummins.
A sour taste still remains in the mouths of many Tigers players, last years bridesmaids hungry for premiership success this season and the grand final replay will provide them with a chance to reverse last year’s result and crash the Cougars premiership party.
However Hamilton will not use this as the sides focus on the track this week noting that he will be treating this like any other game.
“It won’t be our focus at training we will be treating it as any other game, obviously some of the guys will use it as personal motivation but that will only last the first five minutes of the match and then it is just another game of footy.
“The points are up for grabs and we would like to get a few good wins early in the season.
“I would expect the guys to have nothing left in the tank after Saturday, I don’t think that either side will give an inch and it is sure to be a tough physical match.”
Sides which have produced some classic contests in past seasons, COWWARR and GLENGARRY will meet in the season opener.
Glengarry Coach Matt Adams is aware that the clash won’t be all one way traffic with the Magpies struggling last season against the Saints.
“We struggled a bit last year against Cowwarr, were hopeful that we can get off to a good start but our line up has changed significantly so were not going into the clash thinking that we will walk away with the four points easily.
“We would like to win our opening three matches and get off too a good start as we did last season which certainly helped us towards finals.”
It will be a tough first up assignment for last years preliminary finalists who will meet a fleet footed young Cowwarr brigade.
Placing an emphasis on fitness over the preseason the Saints have been put through their paces by fitness coach Brad Frost in one of the hardest preseason’s that Cowwarr players have partaken in.
“The guys are feeling fit they have been through a physical and demanding preseason with many commenting that it is the hardest that they have ever been through at the club.
“Were hoping that by developing our fitness that we will be a quick running side which will compensate for our lack of size on the field,” said Cory Bannister.
BOSIDALE will be without Matt Forsyth for the opening half of the season after the key forward suffered shoulder injury in a preseason hit out.
Suffering a significant blow to the side’s line up a week out from the first round is less then ideal for the Bombers who will host ROSEDALE. While the Bombers will have to make some last minute changes to their lineup the Blues are aiming to open their campaign with a first up win.
Excited at the prospect of a solid hit-out, Rosedale coach Damien Birss is looking forward to his side’s opening clash.
“It will be a good indication first up of our side’s development over the off season.
“We played a couple of hard games against them last year and the guys are keen to put in the hard work and get our season off to the right start.”
TTU and Sale city will take to the field under the helm of new coaches who are eager to see improvement from their young lists.
Returning to the Bombers coach Brad Heil will be looking towards a number of kids to take the next step and play a more permanent role in the senior side providing the Bombers with an added dimension.
“Last year we had a few first year kids in the side who got a taste for senior footy, were hopeful that they will gain more experience and step up to the challenge throughout the season.”
“We are aware that we haven’t recruited as well as other clubs in the league, but we will work with what we have got and are hopeful that we can achieve one more win then last season and continue to move in the right direction,” he said.
In contrast to his counterpart who coached TTU over four seasons, Sale City’s Nick Hider hasn’t seen a North Gippsland match and is looking forward to taking to the field against the Bombers.
“I haven’t actually seen a North Gippsland match so it is a bit of the great unknown to me until Saturday. I’m aware that the competition is of a high standard so were preparing for a tough match.
“It has been a long preseason and the guys are eager for the season to begin and give an honest effort in our first match.
“We have a number of kids that we will definitely promote to the senior side and will be aiming for a consistent effort that will ensure we are competitive and hopefully walk away with the points,” said Hider.
Woodside, Stratford and Heyfield have the BYE
Last Modified on 31/03/2009 16:59