Merewether season preview, Newcastle Herald, April 9, 2025

Rhys Bay on Merewether's premiership chances

Transcript

00:00With Rhys Bray from Merida Carlton, Rhys, how's the off-season been?

00:03Defending Premiers, has there been much change?

00:05Oh, not really. We're trying to think.

00:07Like, we can keep things pretty simple and the same.

00:10What worked last year, we'd hope will work this year, and, yeah, it's been a good pre-season, so...

00:14You've got a couple of boys coming back, Lockie Miller and Will Frost.

00:17Yeah, Frosty, we're hoping to get more training, but we'll see how he goes.

00:20But, yeah, you know, Rory, Milton's back, Dobbo's back, all the key boys from last year, so looking forward to it.

00:27Who's someone we may not know much about that's impressed in the early doors?

00:31Yeah, we've got Lomax, Sam Lomax, who's come out from the country area, and Dank's come up from Central Coast.

00:39So they're two boys that have added heaps in the pre-season and will feature a lot throughout the year, so looking forward to it.

00:45Yeah, two years ago you were hunting a grand fowl, now you're the hunted.

00:48Is there a difference, expectation? You think teams are going to be putting X on your back?

00:52Yeah, kind of. We've made a big point this year.

00:55We're sort of not going to be the hunted as such, but we're going to go after other teams and sort of make a point early

01:01and make them chase us from the start.

01:03So we want to go after teams and, yeah, get there in the last week of the final.

01:07I know you're super keen to go back-to-back, but who do you expect to meet in the grand final?

01:12Off the back of last year, you know, there's a big chat around Maitland.

01:15We'll be pretty strong again.

01:16And I think off the back of last year's final, I think Hemmo will be pretty keen, the way they exited.

01:21So, yeah, I think top of that, probably, you know, I think Hemmo will be there at the end.

01:27And rep footy, mate, it's a big year, rep-wise.

01:30I imagine this is our country.

01:32Got a taste of that last year with Australian Rugby Shield.

01:34You're looking to continue on with that?

01:36Yeah, I'm pretty excited for this year.

01:38We've got a good number of greens and then other local boys putting their hand up for Newcastle again this year.

01:43So, yeah, we want to make a good push in that comp.

01:47And then, yeah, country hopefully help in Newcastle later in the year.

01:50So, yeah, excited for that.

01:51Of course, you get to reunite with Jamie Lynn.

01:53I imagine that's always enjoyable, mate.

01:54Yeah, yeah, Jamie's a good character.

01:56He brings a lot to the team.

01:58He's pretty tough and demands a lot.

02:00So, yeah, I enjoy playing under Jamie and I'm sure the other boys will as well for Newcastle, sir.