By MARK CASHMAN

There were some frank and honest conversations at the end of the 2020 Shute Shield season at the Western Sydney Two Blues.

After all one win from 12 outings that saw them finish second from bottom above only Penrith wasn’t the most successful season and with a new home ground on the horizon there was appetite for change.

And the line pushed by head coach Joel Rivers to the club’s board was that they would have to add to the first grade pool of talent to get a major uptick in performance.

He felt that the club couldn’t sit back and wait for the necessary talent to walk in the door.

“If we didn’t have the players we wouldn’t be going anywhere this year,” Rivers told Rugby News of the conundrum.

The Two Blues’ 2020 season was marked by a number of games where they were in the hunt coming into the final minutes only to be over run by fitter and better resourced sides.

“Where we sat at the end last season wasn’t where we wanted to be so we decided to bring in a number of players from outside,” Rivers added.

“It’s been quite a time consuming process, much more complicated than I thought it would be, but we wanted guys looking for an opportunity with a good attitude to come to the club.

“We looked for guys who are self driven and I feel that we now have a group of 30 or so with the skills and attitude to compete at Shute Shield level.

“The group is probably a lot more mobile than last year and I feel there is the talent there now who understand how to run a game and at this level that is essential.

“They are a lot closer as a group than last year and the success that we have had at some of the pre-season tournaments like the McArthur 10s at Camden and the Kiama Sevens has sent a message that we are competitive.”

Those cherished “outsiders” are headed by a couple of Kiwis in Sam Babb and George Prain.

Babb is a scrum half from the North Shore club in Auckland while Prain will give the Two Blues a good presence on the ball and he will add to the depth in the backrower.

Tevita Vae, who played in the second row last year, will be used in the backrow, with the likes of locks John Akaloa and Alan Rathbone joining the club.

Theo Stephany will add some gas in the outside back while Rory Garrett has stuck around after coming out from the UK last year and will play a vital playmaking role.

“We are moving away from the way that we have played for the past couple of years,” Rivers added.

“That means using the edges a lot more in attack and the influx of new players has helped with the energy needed to do that.

“If we can stay healthy and keep improving there is no reason why we cannot make our mark at the start of the season.

“Our aim, as it always has been, is to make the top six and be there or there abouts at the end of the season.”

The appointment of a head of rugby in James Brakell and the work of S&C guru Lachlan McKinnon is another factor in the club gathering momentum.

The Two Blues will be on the road in the early part of the season as their new home ground Eric Tweedale Oval beds in.

They are scheduled to play their first match on the oval in the game against Randwick on June 19 but even that date is dependant on how the grass takes over the next couple of months.

One of those early season games – against West Harbour on May 29 – will be played at Camden.

IMAGE: JB PHOTOGRAPHY