Division 2 experiment a success for expansion clubs
2013 Darling Downs expansion clubs South Burnett and Chinchilla are reaping the rewards of the experiment to drop back to division 2 in 2014 as both clubs gear up for an assault of the upcoming division 2 finals series.
At the end of the 2013 season both expansion clubs made a voluntary decision to move into the newly formed division 2 Darling Downs competition with a view to build their playing lists and hopefully be a part of a finals campaign in 2014. That decision has certainly paid off for both clubs but even more so for the South Burnett Saints who through 12 rounds of football sit atop of the division 2 ladder.
The Saints hold an impressive 7 wins and 1 loss record (34 points) in 2014 and are currently half a game clear of last year’s reserves grand finalists University (32 points). In just their second season of competition the Saints have shown that they are genuine premiership contenders and may even be eyeing an early return to the Division 1 ranks in the not too distant future.
2014 Darling Downs representative captain Adam Bowater has lead the way for the Saints this season and continues to be a great mentor for the up and coming younger players at the club such as Ty and Keiran Snow, Jack Day and Jeff Trezise. South Burnett coach Steve Humbler continues to build an ever impressive list and with training attendance higher than most Toowoomba based clubs the Saints are kicking goals in all areas of the game this season.
While the Chinchilla Suns haven’t had quite as much on field success as the Saints in 2014 they are certainly heading in the right direction as a football club.
The Suns won only 1 game in their inaugural 2013 season but have started 2014 with 5 wins and 4 losses (20 points) and only sit outside the top 4 due to a lesser percentage than the 4th placed Highfields Lions. What is most exciting about the rise of the Suns is the development of their junior list and the behind the scenes work being done by President Jay Paget and his crew of support staff. “Jay has done a remarkable job so far in 2014’ stated Regional Manager Keith Webb. “While Jay may have been almost forced into the position of club president at the end of 2013 he certainly has the club heading in the right direction with increased junior interest and work being done behind the scenes in regards to committee depth, financial security and a long term playing venue”. Chinchilla recently held their first ever night game at the Chinchilla Sports Grounds and while they did not get 4 points in this game against University they had everyone walking away thinking that the facility is arguable the best on the Darling Downs.
Webb believes that both clubs made the right decision in using the Division 2 competition as a platform to build success upon in 2014. “I’m a big believer in the saying success breeds success and I think that is clearly evident with both expansion clubs this season”, said Webb. Best of luck to the Saints and Suns as they gear up for the remaining 7 rounds of the regular season and hopefully a successful finals campaign for both clubs.
Last Modified on 21/07/2014 08:22
