2023 was a great year for the mighty J2 Maroons. Having to merge 2 teams into 1, they gelled into one big family right from the beginning. I had a great bunch of players who were led on the field by our team, Captain Noah T and Vice-captain Noah O. Both were very knowledgeable and knew the game very well and weren't not afraid to let the ref know respectfully.

The team also had a great bunch of girls, with Devon, Taylor, TJ and Maia showing the boys how it's done with some crushing tackles and hard carries.

Many of the players will go on to higher honours, and some have already been picked up, with our Tongan Thor Nelson being picked to play for the Tongan under 11s, which is a huge accomplishment and one the team are very proud of. I wish I could write about every kid that played in the team, but it would literally take up 5 pages. Each player was so amazing to coach, and I am really looking forward to seeing the improvements next year.

I am so happy with how the team has progressed from the very first training together to the last game, with it being the first year of full-field rugby. The team adjusted very well and, in my eyes, had a very successful season. There were ups and down but the mana they showed to not only me but to themselves was amazing. The season brought some hard-fought games where the team had to dig deep, and it was so awesome to watch them play even harder for each other. We weren't the biggest team by a long shot, but they certainly played well above their weight.

I would like to thank Shaan, Robbo, Ian, Sam, Julia, Kat and all the parents for the hard work you have all done whether it was coaching, managing or yelling from the sideline it is much appreciated and awesome to have. Bring on 2024 and again, thanks team.

Coach Damo