What a cool year of rippa rugby, with defence being the name of our game. We were lucky to have a team of eager young players that were keen to learn and gave it 100% all of the time.

Ripping was a skill that they picked up quickly, so we worked hard to make that a big part of our game. From the first game to the last, the kids’ willingness to achieve six rip turnovers proved to be the difference in most of the games that we played.

With the extra ball to play with came more opportunities, and all of the kids had their moments to shine throughout the season. As we progressed, their confidence grew to a point where some of the plays involved two or even three passes before scoring. Crazy when you think that these players are all new to rugby.

A warning to the opposition – don’t drop the ball! We talked about it all season, and the kids were like ants to a sticky candy bar. They were all over it!

Our young team played with such confidence, I think we are well set to move into J7 next year.

We had a blast in J8 White this year, supported by a dedicated set of parents and extended family. A big thank you to our family of supporters and to our three young refs (all ex-Cote players), Ashton, Patai and Paul, who all stepped up for the most thankless of all jobs.

An awesome season full of fun and laughter, bring on 2023!