THE Grafton Redmen women’s 10s side start their Mid North Coast campaign against Coffs Snappers on Saturday which is set to be an intriguing contest between two heavyweights of the competition.
Both sides will view Saturday’s round one showdown as an opportunity to unearth plenty of new talent, with several players from both sides making their rugby debuts.
The last time the two sides met was in last year’s preliminary final, with Grafton running out winners 24-17 in a suspense-filled contest.
Snappers will no doubt be out for revenge after being knocked out of premiership contention by the Redmen. However, if they are to turn the tables they will need to shutdown Grafton’s attacking strike-power and raw aggression.
For Redmen captain Tamar McHugh, a victory in Saturday’s clash will go a long way towards setting up her side’s season.
“The girls are really looking forward to Saturday’s game, it’s one of the most important games of the season and hopefully we get off to a good start,” McHugh said at training during the week.
“Last year we knocked Snappers out in the final but I know this year they have recruited a lot of younger players so it will be a true test for us.”
Grafton boast a well-balanced side and will be buoyed by the injection of a fresh faces who have impressed during the trial matches earlier this year.
“We have gained a lot of new players this season with a few coming over from soccer,” McHugh said.
“Also, the return of Carla Dougherty and maybe Emily Norton, who played sevens rugby for us in the past, will strengthen the side.”
McHugh added she is expecting forwards Jesyka Boyle and Natalie Blackadder to have standout seasons alongside rookie Kristen Cotten.
“I think Jess is in for another big year, she has been very impressive in the trial games and Natalie has been training the house down and looks set for a huge season,” McHugh said.
“Also, one of our new-comers, Kristen Cotten has been fantastic in the trial games…she is an absolute workhorse on the field.”
