Gregory Terrace coach Adrian Thompson is hoping a fast start this season can help his side challenge for the GPS premiership.

A new look Terrace side will also play a different style to last season when the competition kicks off on Saturday July 13.

Overview with Adrian Thompson:

“We’re going okay at the moment. All of our trials have been really tough and BBC and State High were very good. Then we’ve got one final trial against Nudgee on Saturday,” Thompson told Rugby News. 

“We haven’t got many boys back from last year so we’ve spent most of the preseason getting the guys used to what they need to do to compete at first XV level. 

“We’re a young side. I think we’ll probably end up with 12 or 13 guys 17 or younger and that presents some challenges but I think they’ll give it a good crack. 

“We had a wider camp at Easter to kick start things, then we had another squad camp up the coast last weekend. We’ve had four trial weekends around that with our fifth trial on Saturday against Nudgee. 

“Last year was a little frustrating at times. We lost a couple of games by a goal kick and only ended up with three wins. I think five wins would probably have been a fairer indication of the side we were.

“We missed a chance against TSS and Toowoomba, then we were leading Churchie by 23 or 24 at one stage in the last stage and lost. 

“That’s the way it goes with schoolboy rugby sometimes.”

2024 Squad: 

“None of our regular starters are back from last year,” Thompson explained. 

“Charlie Hollyman was in the Queensland 16s last year at hooker. He came up from the 16As to make his debut last year and ended up staying in the side after that. 

“He might end up playing prop for us this year though, as we’re a bit light up front. 

“Sam McGahan is our captain this year played probably 50% of last year and George Hales at scrumhalf was about the same. 

“A lot of the guys are young year 12s so this will be there only crack at first XV rugby and I know they’re all really looking forward to it.”

What style of rugby will we see from Gregory Terrace this year? 

“Last year we relied a lot on big forwards to carry the ball over the advantage line and we were pretty conservative off the back of that. 

“This year we’ll be more expansive and we’ll need to keep the ball in hand a lot more because we don’t have as much size as we have previously.”

What are you expecting across the competition this season? 

“I’ve only really seen the teams we’ve played but BBC were big and physical and State High were super impressive. Their No.8 is a really good player but I’m not sure if he’ll be there all year,” Thompson said.

“Toowoomba and TSS are big and physical with a few younger kids thrown in those sides as well. 

“For us, we’re not looking too far ahead. We play TSS away, Churchie at home and Grammar away then we have a bye so we’ll want to get off to a good start and then see where we stand after the first month. 

“I don’t think you’ll see a side go through undefeated this year. It looks to be too tight this year and I think most teams will roll each other, which should make it a good competition.”