By Ant Brand

Anglican Church Grammar School are primed for a glorious 2020 as 12 First XV troops return to ignite Churchie’s charge to their first GPS Premiership since 2015.

Churchie have not tasted premiership glory since going back-to-back in 2014-15 but are in the envious position of boasting a side bursting with talent and all-important experience.

The side finished fourth last year and Churchie First XV coach Dale Roberson believes fielding so many returning players has his side well-positioned for a strong 2020 campaign.

“The nucleus of last year’s team is back which is quite good and they are obviously taking the learnings from last year and being able to put that into training this year,” he said.

“Seeing the growth is exciting and part of what last year was about with a young team.”

Churchie captain and Queensland Under-16’s representative George Stoddard will spearhead the side with the help of returning stars Henry Wilson and Larson Dayle-Doyle.

“George had a strong year last year and was voted the player’s player by his peers and had a good national tournament with the QLD Under 16’s,” Roberson said.

“We have got Henry Wilson returning as well and he will be one to watch. Another is Larson Dayle-Doyle who will be playing in the centres – he’s progressed well physically and is in really good condition.”

Restricted training measures due to COVID-19 were lifted just three weeks ago allowing the boys to finally inject some physicality into their preparations.

Roberson said a return to contact had brought renewed vigour to the squad which included an internal hit-out.

“Prep has been solid so far but we were disrupted like everyone so we have been building into contact these past few weeks,” he said.

“The boys took it in their stride and it was tough for them and was hard to keep them apart. But they worked really well through it and knuckled down in terms of the types of training we did during that period because it was quite different to how we would generally prepare.”

The regular eight-game season has been reduced to six matches making all-important wins even more vital with any sort of mid-level injury potentially drawing the curtains on a player’s season.

“It makes it a sprint and the ability to get through without injury is a key part of it,” Roberson said.

“If you think of getting an injury that rules you out for three weeks, that’s half the season. That’s the big key – to stay fit and healthy for as long as possible.”

And with a return to restrictions being such an unknown, Roberson said simply getting through an uninterrupted season was the first hurdle.

“One of my hopes is that we get to play all the games,” he said. “The second one is that we get to play the style of footy that we aim to play. An attacking style of game and being able to be physical in the forwards.”

Churchie’s 2020 Draw

Trials:

July 25: BBC (away) (Won 15-7 to BBC)

August 1: TSS (away)

Competition

August 8: Bye

August 15: BGS (home)

August 22: St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace (away)

August 29: IGS (home)

September 5: BSHS (home)

September 12: TGS (away)

September 18: St Joseph’s Nudgee College (home).