Words: Staff Writers
Image: Western Pride FC

Western Pride have confirmed four re-signings for the PlayStation® 4 NPL Queesland 2016 season - including Under 23 All-Stars Harrison Sawyer and Joe Duckworth.

Sawyer and Duckworth, both 18, join fellow PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Under 23 All-Star representative Jesse Rigby as committing to the club for the new season.

The duo made their PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland debuts this season with the Ipswich side under former coach Karl Dodd and further impressed current Pride coach Graham Harvey since he took the reins in the final rounds.

Both players made 21 appearances this year. Sawyer finished the season as the club’s top goalscorer with seven goals, while Duckworth contributed a further three.

Harvey said he had no hesitation in re-signing the prominent pair, who were being heavily courted by a host of rival clubs.

“The lads have been regulars in my team and know how I like to play the game, so it’s credit to them for their performances throughout the season - they’ve earned every bit of it,” Harvey said.

Sawyer said he and Duckworth remain extremely grateful for the opportunity provided by Pride and were both eager to repay that faith next season.

“Obviously we both owe Karl and Graham massive thanks for the chance they have given us this year, this is our first year in the NPL and they have believed in us and given us an opportunity to play at this level.”

Duckworth said with both players re-signing, their on-field partnership had the chance to blossom further.

“It’s very helpful for me because I know where he’ll be making his runs and when he needs the ball, and then he does the rest really,” he explained.

Also signing-on for the next campaign are 20-year-old midfielders Mitchell Bird and Neilen Brown.

Bird joined Pride from Redlands United mid-way through the 2015 season, scoring four goals in just a dozen appearances in the back-half of the campaign.

20-year-old Brown made 15 appearances in his first season with the club after previously playing for local community clubs Ipswich Knights and Brisbane Force.

The announcements take the number of confirmed Pride signings to five for the new season, but Harvey conceded he had also locked in further players yet to be publicly announced.

“I am very keen to do my business as early as possible, to allow us maximum time to prepare for 2016,” Harvey said.