RETURNING local women’s rugby league coach Simon Chappell has a new coaching partner at the Stroud Raiders.

Steve Boyton will be joining him to lead the men’s team.

It’s hoped that this new coaching duo will bring victory to both teams as they prepare for the coming season.

Both teams played the 2019 grand final, before both teams then fell victim to the circumstances of the COVID season in 2020.

It’s hoped that 2021 will be the culmination of proven success and lessons well learned.

The players are certainly enthusiastic about their prospects.

They put this enthusiasm down to the passion and expertise their two coaches bring.

“They’re both amazing, they both have a lot of experience.” Hannah Borg, one of the players said.

“It’s definitely a family club.

“Steve’s son plays with the men’s team and Simon’s wife and kids play for the women’s team.

“We have a lot of passion and heart and we carry that onto the field.”

The biggest lesson the team learned from last year was that there is always more preparation to be done.

With limited opportunity to train together they found it difficult to maintain their fitness.

One change in strategy that is already being employed is the men’s and women’s teams training together.

The thinking is that the men’s team will take away some of the faster pace of the women’s game.

The women’s game is expected to benefit from the maturity of the male competition.

Registrations are still open for both teams with their first game expected to be a charity shield against Dungog on March 27.

The team can be contacted on both Facebook and Instagram having recently expanded their social media presence.

 

By Victoria HENDERSON