ANOTHER great year was had by the Tea Gardens Hawks, with the Men’s team bowing out in the elimination round of finals, and the Women’s Tackle side farewelling their inaugural season.

Hawks Men’s coach Ryan Saunders, in his first season in the job after coaching several junior teams, sat down with NOTA to reflect on the season that was in 2024.

“We had a turbulent start to the season,” Ryan began.

“Our original coach had to leave, and then we lost some good players to injuries.

“I had started out coaching Women’s Tackle, but the sudden vacancy needed to be filled, and I threw my hat in the ring to coach the Men’s Seniors, while others stepped up to coach our new Women’s and Juniors teams, too.”

Having received a “few wooden spoons” in previous seasons, Ryan said the team did “really well” to make finals again in their first season of C Grade competition.

“The boys have done awesome,” he said.

“Not once did we take a backwards step, no backouts, not once did anyone say ‘no’.”

The Men’s team at one point enjoyed a six-game winning streak, before injuries in subsequent matches brought that to a halt.

Players were also lost to faraway FIFO jobs.

The key to the 2024 season’s success, ending near the top of the ladder and gaining entry to the finals, lay in having a core group that believed in each other, according to Ryan.

“Staying small, committed and focused,” he said.

“Our new team culture started building last year.

“Respect is the biggest thing – I need the respect of the players when things aren’t going so well, and the players get me back on-task.”

“By the end of the season, we stayed level-headed and kept the core team strong.

“It is a team effort – start to end, we’ve stuck by each other.”

The Women’s Tackle have cut their proverbial teeth on the competition this year, and aim to return stronger in 2025.

Although the Hawks’ Seniors teams may have ended their seasons a little sooner than hoped, the Myall River Hawks Juniors are still going very strong as they soar into their own Semi Finals with the onset of spring.

By Thomas O’KEEFE