The Shoalhaven Rugby Club has begun its preparations for the 2022 season with former ACT Brumbies flanker, Will Miller, set to take the coaching reins.
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The Berry resident's first on-field task took place last Thursday, when he put the returning players through their paces in the inaugural pre-season training session of 2022.
"Everyone was super unfit, as you can imagine in the off-season, and it was quite warm in late January," SRC president, Doug Rattey, said.
"And because we've got Will Miller as our coach this year, he really put them through their paces, so the boys were feeling it."
Roughly 30 players attended the first run of the year, many of whom Rattey said are motivated by a desire to win the grand final they were denied in 2021.
"They haven't stopped talking about it since the season was cancelled last year," he said.
"As far as they're concerned, they would have won it and they want to have the trophy to prove it. They're motivated, a lot of the boys are out there on Tuesdays doing extra training sessions and have been since before Christmas. They're really dedicated to bringing home the trophy this year."
Though former coach, Paul Connor, had the club in a very strong position by the end of his tenure, Rattey believes Miller's appointment will be a breath of fresh air and bring a different perspective to the side.
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"Take nothing away from Paul Connor, our previous head coach," he said.
"They won every 7s and 10s tournament they went in last year and then won 11 from 11 until COVID destroyed the season.
"But Paul's been involved in the local footy for a long time, so it's nice to get Will in with that new, different take on things ... we could see that last season, it came out especially in the set pieces and the scrum.
"We've never had a good scrum, and Will came in and offered a few tips, and we really showed up with it."
Rattey expects there to be a number of changes to the makeup of the team in 2022, as the club's Irish imports will not be returning in the coming season, while Will Ridley will not be back either.
However, there are some potential signings the club has not yet confirmed which may make up for the vacancies. These, Rattey said, should be finalised in the next week or so.
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Overall, the feeling among the club is exceptionally positive. While the players are pumped to claim the premiership they feel they deserve, the committee, volunteers, and supporters are all eager to see what 2022 brings as well.
"The groundskeepers have done a terrific job," Rattey said.
"When you run out onto a nice field and everyone's got a buzz about them, that excitement just increases. Everyone on the committee and all the players are pumped, and I've got some messages from a few supporters asking when the first round is.
"The club's in a good place at the moment."
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