Wanderers season preview, Newcastle Herald, April 9, 2025

Newcastle Herald

Marcus Christensen on Wanderers' premiership chances.

Transcript

00:00Marcus Christian from the Wanderers Rugby Club here.

00:02Marcus, there's been a lot of change at Wanderers this year.

00:04A good friend of yours, the former captain Luke Sherwood is coach.

00:07What does he bring to the club?

00:09He brings some intensity, good energy.

00:12He was probably the toughest, most competitive person I ever played with

00:17and he's brought that to the wider squad through his coaching

00:21and we're all excited to have him on board.

00:23Last year you were thereabouts, but a couple of key moments in big games cost you.

00:26What do you need to do to take the step this year?

00:29I think discipline hurt us throughout the year.

00:33It's probably hurt us the last several years.

00:35I think if we can minimise the penalties and stay switched on in those key moments,

00:44probably get more out of our wider squad as well,

00:48particularly in the back end of the season, that's going to go a long way for us.

00:51A couple of big players gone in Captain Pierce Murrell

00:54and the tackle-busting winger Nimi Coy.

00:57Andy, who's someone we can be excited about that's emerged on the scene

01:00and what it is next year?

01:01Yeah, we've got several.

01:03We've actually lost quite a few players, so out of necessity,

01:07some of the young guys coming through have really put their hand up.

01:11Diesel O. Davis is one.

01:13Geronimo is a really exciting Argentinian hooker.

01:16I think people will really enjoy the way he plays.

01:19We've got Moni, who's come from the Central Coast,

01:21and we've got a couple of other front rowers that are coming up from the Central Coast as well.

01:25So, yeah, we've got quite a few new players.

01:27You mentioned hooker.

01:28Andrew Chawala, former New South Wales Waratah,

01:30and 2014 premiership-winning hooker at Wanderers is working with the forwards.

01:35What does he bring?

01:36Similar to Scherzer, probably not quite as intense,

01:39but, yeah, I mean, a few of us were lucky enough to play with him

01:43and went to comp with him several years ago,

01:45and he's obviously played a really good level of rugby,

01:49and he's starting to impasse that knowledge onto the squad.

01:54As I said, we've got quite a number of young fellas that are coming through,

01:58and they're really taking on what he says, taking it on board.

02:03What does a successful 2025 look like for Wanderers?

02:07Every time I do this, I usually say club championship,

02:10and I think this year we want to get the first-grade premiership.

02:14We probably had the team the last few years where we should have challenged.

02:17Like you touched on earlier, we sort of fell away in those key areas

02:21and the discipline wasn't where it should be.

02:23So I think we've got the squad there.

02:25Yeah, things that, you know, since Scherzer's been appointed with AT on board,

02:29it's a fresh start.

02:32Yeah, I think if we can get a first-grade premiership, I'll be happy, man.

02:36And who are you going to have to beat to win that premiership?

02:38Obviously, Meriwether, the premiers?

02:39Yeah.

02:40It's such a – I think this year's going to be such an open competition.

02:43From what I'm hearing, everyone's pulled together some strong squads,

02:48I should say, some new talent.

02:50Sounds like a few people may be returning to the comp as well.

02:53So Meriwether, Maitland, even Hamilton Uni,

02:57I think they're all going to be strong this year.

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