SATURDAY marked a special day in the hearts of all those at the Jamberoo and Gundagai rugby league clubs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It was the second time the two clubs celebrated the Joey Rose Cup and the first time is was held on the South Coast.
After being held at Rose's junior club Gundagai in 2019, this year's event was hosted by the Superoos - at the Dandaloo Sports Ground.
"There's been a special bond between the two clubs ever since Matt Schubert (a former player a Gundagai) coached our first grade side in 2008 and 2009," Superoos first grade captain/coach Jono Dallas said.
"We then played our first trial match against them in 2018, which was Joey's first year with as at Jamberoo.
"Then after his unfortunate passing, both clubs were determined to make it an annual event on the calendar, which we now have.
Related content: Sims gives jerseys off his back for bushfire relief
"Despite the geographical distance between the clubs, it shows what impact Joey had on everyone that we all want to keep this initiative going.
"There's a huge amount of respect for the Rose family and Joey's partner Chelsea Tout, which is a testament to the values of both clubs.
"The fixture inadvertently raises awareness for mental health and shows how positive of an environment a footy club can be when things get tough.
"It was an awesome afternoon and I can't wait to go back out to Gundagai next year."
On the field, there were three matches played - two rugby league and one women's league tag - with the Superoos winning the first grade fixture four tries to nil.
This was the Kevin Walsh Oval based club's only trial match ahead of the 2020 Group Seven season - which has now had its start date pushed back until May due to coronavirus concerns.
"I was happy how we played across the 45 minutes," Dallas said.
"We were strong defensively and played quite composed with the footy in hand, which is a good trait to have this early in the season.
Related content: Jets lose thrilling West Wyalong Knockout final
"We've added a few things to our game from last year, so it was nice to get an idea of how we will play.
"There's always room for improvement after trials, but the areas we have been focusing on the most at training looked sharp, which was pleasing."
Looking ahead to the season, the Superoos, who reached the 2019 grand final, have added reigning Michael Cronin Medal winner Daniel Burke to their squad - to fill the void left by the departing Brock Skelly.
"Burkey has played a lot of footy, so I was never too concerned with how he would fit into our group," Dallas said.
"It's not necessarily a like-for-like swap for Brock but he has similar traits that will allow him to play numerous roles for our side this season."
Related content: Co-coaches usher in new era at the Gorillas
While Burke may be a new face at the green and reds training sessions, it's two of the older faces that have impressed Dallas.
"Both Luke and Mark Asquith looked really strong at the weekend," he said.
"They both came into last season with injuries - Luke his PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) and Mark his patella - which limited what they could do in the pre-season.
"Despite limping into 2019, they were two of our best all year long, but seeing them both fresh and fighting fit, I'm expecting them to take their games to another level in 2020."
Dallas, who also praised the efforts of Kurt Field over the summer, said although last year's grand final defeat to Kiama still hurts, it isn't their driving factor this season.
"When we won the competition three years ago, going back-to-back wasn't really discussed, it was just sort of an unspoken goal we are all driving towards," he said.
Related content: Having a Ball: Kane pens deal with Sharks
"And although last year's loss will always be disappointing, it really won't be our main motivation this year.
"As a whole, we had a fantastic year on the park in 2019 and just didn't perform well enough on grand final day.
"All the boys are focussed to build on last year and give ourselves a chance to play deep into the finals again - which we all know we are capable of."