THE RETURN of the Greater Northern Tigers to the Country Under 18s Championships is not only a nod to tradition but it provides a reunion for coaches Ron Dellar and Garry Gardner.
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The pair were the brains trust for many Northern Division Tigers U18s teams before they were separated by the regionalisation of bush footy that saw groups 4, 19 and 21 split up.
Now they join forces again.
“I’ll be back with Garry Gardner,” Dellar said.
“We were split up for a few years with Group 21 going the other way.
“But it’ll be back to the way it used to be and I think it makes a lot of sense.”
Dellar is head coach this year with Gardner as assistant.
They are rejoicing in the decision to bring the old ND back together, but not because the regional sides they were involved with weren’t
competitive.
The Oxley Pioneers and Central Hunter Power both had a lot of success, but Greater Northern should be strong too.
“We (Northern Division) won it in 2003 at Cessnock and we won as the Pioneers the first year,” Dellar said.
“We won it the first year and we were favourites to win it the next year but Central (Hunter) beat us in the final.”
The Tigers travel to Wingham today ahead of their round one clash with the Southern Stingrays.
A win in that one tomorrow and another success on Sunday would put the Tigers into the semi finals at Mudgee on City/Country Origin day.
“If we win we play a loser but if we get beat we play a winner,” Dellar said.
“A couple of years ago the Pioneers won our first game against Northern Rivers but we got beaten by two points against Newcastle in the second game.
“Our for and against was good so we got through.
“(You don’t want) a situation like that.
“If we win we play the loser of Newcastle and the Central Coast.
“Then off to Mudgee.”
The Tigers will train at Wingham this afternoon to complete their preparations.
Dellar said the forward battle will be important and the Tigers seemed to have the goods in that area with a mixture of players from the Greater Northern Academy and a few
others.
“We’ve got Ben Allen in the front row with Josh Pursche, and we know him (from GNA),” Dellar said.
“Logan Harris is in his second year and Jock Waters is actually in his third year.
“He made Country last year.
“He’s in the second row with Jeff Golledge and Ethan Gaffney.
“Then there’s Josh King who goes alright and Dylan Howe from Narrabri and we know what he can do.
“Jay Gallagher from Glen Innes, you put him on and he’ll tackle all day for you.
“He’s one of the younger brigade.”
The only changes to the squad from the day it was chosen see Dylan Griffiths and Tremayne Sanbrook drop out with injuries.
Hayden Cunneen moves to the wing while Brady Smith from Singleton is the new player on the bench.
TIGERS: 1 Will Gooch (Farrer), 2 Ethan Christensen (Muswellbrook), 3 Brad Cappello (Farrer), 4 Mitch Dening (West Lions), 5 Hayden Cunneen (Muswellbrook), 6 Isaac McCormick (Denman), 7 John Brady (Farrer), 8 Ben Allan (Farrer), 9 Logan Harris (Farrer), 10 Josh Pursche (Farrer), 11 Jeffrey Golledge (Scone), 12 Jock Waters (Armidale), 13 Ethan Gaffney (North Tamworth), 14 Josh King (Singleton), 15 Daniel Howe (Narrabri), 16 Jacobe Dowell (Muswellbrook), 17 Jay Gallagher (Glen Innes), 18 Brady Smith (Singleton).
