By Ant Brand

St Joseph’s Nudgee College will field their most inexperienced First XV side in recent history as they blood a swag of new talent for season 2020.   

Just three starters return from the 2019 campaign but that’s not dampening coach Andrew Scotney’s hopes in his Nudgee’s quest for GPS Premiership success in 2020. 

“The expectation at Nudgee is to always try and win the thing,” Scotney said. 

“I have been here since 2016 and this would be the least number we have had coming back so you obviously have a lot of boys that are learning the way.  

“You want to play the game in terms of your systems and structures and you are also sort of learning as to what their strengths and weaknesses are. 

“But on the flipside that comes with a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm because this is their shot at it.”

Restricted training measures due to COVID-19 were lifted three weeks ago allowing Nudgee’s troops to inject some timely physicality into their preparations.

Scotney said he couldn’t be happier with how his troops had handled an unprecedented period readying for the season.  

“It’s been a bit disrupted but our boys have been great. When they’ve been here and when they haven’t been here,” Scotney said. 

“We are sort of back in the swing of things of the normal weekly routine with them now and it’s all systems go.”

With so little First XV experience in the ranks the fresh faces will be looking to seasoned campaigner Lastus Auakai for inspiration.  

Having captained the side throughout the trials, Scotney said Auakai will be a pillar of strength for his younger teammates as they navigate the rigours of top-flight GPS rugby.  

“Lastus has captained us in the trials and he had a good season last year and he is going to try and build on that again this year,” he said. 

“Kyle Schramm (blind-side flanker) and Oahu Davey-Philips (hooker) are also there. 

“In the trials I think our forwards did some really nice things and there were some boys in there who haven’t had much exposure before.”

Nudgee kick off their season-proper away to Gregory Terrace on August 8 in a reduced six-game season – two matches less than usual. 

Scotney said his troops were bracing for another fiery chapter in what is historically an explosive encounter.   

“Round one for us will be a hard game against Gregory Terrace,” he said.  

“They always play well against us and it’s always a hard game and a bit if a Derby. Our expectation is probably to not look any more forward than that game and prepare and play well and go from there.”

Nudgee’s draw

Trials

July 25: v TSS (home)

August 1: v BSHS (home)

Competition

August 8: v Terrace (away)

August 15: v IGS (home)

August 22: v TGS (away)

August 29: v bye

September 5: v BGS (home)

September 12: v BBC (away)

September 18: v ACGS (away)