After a perfect, undefeated run to last year’s GPS title just four regular starters returned for Nudgee College, and coach Andrew Scotney made no secret of the fact that would create a very different dynamic in 2019.

Still strong, incredibly strong, but different nonetheless.

Nudgee were genuine challengers again and, mathematically, remained in the mix until the dying weeks of the season. In hindsight, an agonising round one loss to eventual champions TSS (21-20) left them behind the eight-ball from the beginning though.

Still, Scotney found plenty of positives in a season that he said was a pretty good reflection of where the 2018 champions rated among the competition.

OVERVIEW WITH ANDREW SCOTNEY: 

“Getting beaten by BCC (21-8) toward the end of the season was a bit disappointing but they were a good side and, honestly, we were probably playing a bit of catch-up after the loss we had in round one to TSS,” Scotney said.

“We had a chance to win that one at the end and we couldn’t quite get there, we were chasing our tails a bit after that.

“There was only a handful of guys back from [the 2018 premiership win] but we won’t really have that many returning players next year either, a lot of guys were in year 12.

“For the most part we were playing to the level we should’ve been I thin, so where we finished was probably a pretty fair assessment of the season really, and where we were as a side.”

WHO IS THE GRADUATING PLAYER TO WATCH?

“There’s a few guys, obviously a couple everyone’s aware of like Reesjan Pasitoa and Harry Vella, who both played for the Australian Schoolboys. Reesjan’s already going to the Brumbies,” Scotney said.

“Then there was our No.8 Titi Nofoagatotoa, he’s been absolutely outstanding for our side for the last two years and he’s definitely someone I’d say people should keep an eye on in the next few years.”

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND ROUND ONE NEXT YEAR?

“We’re in the process of reviewing the season now and we do lose some really big players like Reesjan and Harry, and a few others who were in their second year so we lose quite a bit of experience,” Scotney said.

“So we’ll have to replace those few key individuals, but at the same time that might be a positive thing because there’ll be a lot of competition for spots, maybe more so than there was this year.”

BOLD PREDICTION FOR 2020:

“There’s no real prediction,” Scotney said.

“Like I said, replacing those key players will be important and we’ll have a lot of guys coming up from our younger age groups so we need to give them time to see how they develop in those important positions.

“We’ll have a clearer indication of what kind of team we’ll be after that.”