Shoalhaven Rugby Club brings back championship nucleus to recapture glory in 2023

Last season the Shoalies were far and away the most dominant side in the Illawarra Rugby Union competition.

Seemingly having no flaws across the park, the local side ran through the comp to finish the regular season with a record of 14 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss.

The Shoalies flexed their muscles against the Shamrocks in the semi-finals winning 22-0 before putting together a complete game in their grand final win over Avondale, 35-10.

Shoalies coach Will Miller said "it was hard to describe" the feeling of taking home the premiership.

"There was a great feeling amongst the group," Miller said.

"There were 11 starters that were juniors at the club and with a majority of those players fathers having played at the club, being able to win a comp that none of them did meant a lot."

Miller said the success of the group derived from the players willingness to buy into the system and try out new things.

"The way these guys worked for one another was pretty special," he said.

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"Probably the biggest challenge was to get players to keep building and trying to be better at the end of the season, even after we were minor premiers."

"At that time of year you have to keep being better, otherwise in those final weeks especially finals, anyone can win if they are on their a-game."

There were a number of standouts on the team last season with Steven Brandon, Mark Brandon, George Miller and Matthew Stewart all being key cogs to the well oiled machine.

"Everyone had their role to play and if it wasn't for the whole teams effort and each individual playing their best footy we wouldn't have gotten the result we did."

The side has had a lot of turnover with its roster from last season, as several players have headed back overseas or moved away from the area.

However the team's nucleus has been retained while a number of new players have come on board.

"I'm very excited, I am looking forward to seeing how some new players go together with the side and getting to know all of those new players a bit bigger."

Miller said it's the lifelong friendships and memories that you make playing rugby that keeps bringing him back.

"Some of the blokes working for each other will be best mates for life and when you create a memory like last year, it's something you will share for the rest of your life."

Miller anticipates a much harder competition this season as teams have had two years to build up from when the 2021 season was cancelled.

"It will be a really tough comp, it's always a good competition in the Illawarra," he said.

"I'm looking forward to seeing a few of those teams that were on the bottom last season improve because they had really young sides."

"It will be interesting to see them develop as they mature as footy players and a team."

Shoalhaven kicks off their 2023 season in a clash at Bowral on Saturday, April 15.