Article: Jeremy Magan
Photo: Supplied by Wagga City Wanderers

It is only their second year in Capital Football’s NPLW competition but Wagga City’s Sam Gray is already seeing little shoots grow from the seeds he planted and cared for last season.

Gray, who led the Wanderers to NPLW U17 to the grand final in their debut season, was promoted to head coach Wagga’s first grade this season.

The Scotsman has a mix of youth and experience at his disposal this season, bringing in players from his successful U17 squad as well as recruits Olivia Moore from Canberra Olympic and Miranda Walker from the Australian Defence team. 

Gray recognises the value of experience in a team still solidifying its foundations.

“We have a core group of more experienced players like Suze Waia, Maddie Harris, Brandy Nicholson, Tia Lyons, Kim Morgan, who have been invaluable,” Gray said.

“It’s not all about our young girls. Without those players who have stayed from last year, we would be nothing.”

Creating that bond was a role almost too fitting for Gray, who is a teacher by trade.

“I absolutely love the game and I want the culture to be as positive as can be,” he said. “I want the girls to win together, lose together, talk football together.

“The attendance, the enthusiasm, the vibe is the best I have been part of. I want us to learn how to play as a team, I want us to be proud of what we achieve.

“At the moment, we are planting the seeds for future trees.”

The 2020 season has seen the Wanderers lose two from two and stuck to the bottom of the table, but the ladder does not tell the whole story.

“We have gotten closer, judging from our 4-3 Canberra Croatia loss. Another few minutes and we could have gotten a point from the game,” Gray remembers.

“We played our game against Canberra Croatia, very much on the front foot, we want to go forward.”

The more severe 5-1 to Canberra Olympic doesn’t prevent Gray from seeing the positives.

“We got caught cold against Olympic,” he said, after watching the game from home, sick. “We beat them in pre-season, but they were a very different team last week.

“Hats off to them, they were good offensively and the Sykes sisters made a big difference. The girls have learned a lot playing against two former Matildas.

“In the second half, we stood up very well to them. Our full back Brandy Nicholson scored her first senior goal against Olympic, she loved it, she wants more.”

On Sunday after at Hawker Football Centre, Gray will face mentor Scott O’Donnell, a coach he has a lot of respect for.

“I have done a lot of coaching courses with Scott O’Donnell, we got along well. I would like to hope that I could put 1 over him,” he said with a laugh.

“Our players will give 100 percent in our games and try as hard as they can to get some points on the board.”

Match Details |
NPLW Round 4
Canberra United Academy vs Wagga City Wanderers
Kick-off 4:20pm, 9 August 2020
Hawker Football Centre