REIGNING Tamworth AFL premiers New England Nomads begin the defence of their premiership flag in Armidale tomorrow when they host the Tamworth Kangaroos.
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The Nomads have won the past three TAFL premierships and will be favourites to win a fourth title under coach Zac Economou.
Moree’s return to the TAFL adds plenty of spice to a new season too and they have a home game against the Inverell Saints to kick-start their renewal.
Struggling Tamworth Swans, who lost a large number of players from last season, hope to find some new numbers to back up their opening game against Gunnedah Bulldogs at No 1 Oval tomorrow.
Swans club president Josh McKenzie was encouraged by the “best turnout” to training all season on Wednesday night.
“We had the best numbers yet, it was really positive,” McKenzie said.
“Someone must have told them we have a game on Saturday. The players were sharp too.”
McKenzie said around 18 players trained at No 1 Oval on Wednesday night and he believes “we will have close to 20” there for tomorrow’s opening game of the season.
“It will be a bit like a two-year-old maiden,” he used in reference to horse racing.
“No one knows what we will produce.
“They (Gunnedah) are in a similar boat to us.
“They haven’t had big numbers at training and haven’t had a good pre-season.
“We could go out there and be spectacular or be scratchy.
“Gunnedah are a team who will test us regardless.”
McKenzie is hoping the increased numbers at training will have a flow-on effect to the playing performance even though they have lost some good players such as Janson Doughty.
The Swans have picked up two new likely looking recruits in James Dunstan and Lincoln Peters as well.
“James is from Mudgee – he played down there,” McKenzie said.
“He’s a left-footer too.
“Lincoln played at Sydney Uni and moves very well.
“He’s also got very good game sense,” McKenzie said.
He also said Tremain Rankmore had swapped codes from the West Lions rugby league and looks a fine prospect.
“He’s taken to a new skills set very quickly,” McKenzie said.
“For a bloke who has never played the game before his game sense is fantastic.”
The match of the round appears to be in Armidale where the Nomads tackle a Roos team which has Tony Bishop returning to run the campaign.
The Roos will run into a strong Nomads team who have picked up a few new handy players, Economou said.
“It’s a similar side to last year,” he said.
“We haven’t lost too many and picked up a few new handy players as well.”
The Nomads warmed up for the new season by winning the recent Tablelands Cup, a pre-season competition they haven’t won since 2008.
They beat Newcastle club Cardiff in that Cup Final 30-26.
Former premiership-winning coach Tom Granleese, Matt Foley, Dave Richards and Jed Ellis-Clough all starred in the Tablelands Cup and will be key men again tomorrow when the Nomads chase a fourth successive TAFL flag.
