With a mix of new players and those moving up from J8 we began the season with a heap of enthusiasm from the very first practice. Lots of laughing, running, ripping.

We started out with a couple of night games under the lights which added to the atmosphere, particularly with some character-building rain welcoming the season opener.

After a few great games, our numbers were impacted by a mix of a broken arm and a few cases of post-COVID immunity rebuilding. We managed to field a team each week, though and the rips and tries became more and more frequent.

The boys enjoyed the Snow White tournament with the multi-game format and a wider range of teams from outside the normal competition. Five games in a row was a little taxing, although their commitment was a real credit to the team.

The team showed great sportsmanship, sharing the ball and encouraging one another. As the season progressed, the pace they played the game really lifted with quick solid passing and some committed ripping. It really was a pleasure to see how their individual confidence grew, particularly with the players that were hesitant in the initial games scoring tries in the last few games.

Special thanks to the support of all of the parents who helped to make this a great season for the boys. In particular, Jeremy, Harley and Dave helped with coaching, Ben, our team ref and Natasha for keeping the scores.

Know a few of the boys are looking forward to tackling next season, and I looking forward to seeing all the boys’ skills continue to develop as they move up through the grades.

Go the Cote!