Marcus Christensen on Wanderers' premiership chances.
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00:00Marcus Christian from the Wanderers Rugby Club here.
00:02Marcus, there's been a lot of change at Wanderers this year.
00:04A good friend of yours, the former captain Luke Sherwood is coach.
00:07What does he bring to the club?
00:09He brings some intensity, good energy.
00:12He was probably the toughest, most competitive person I ever played with
00:17and he's brought that to the wider squad through his coaching
00:21and we're all excited to have him on board.
00:23Last year you were thereabouts, but a couple of key moments in big games cost you.
00:26What do you need to do to take the step this year?
00:29I think discipline hurt us throughout the year.
00:33It's probably hurt us the last several years.
00:35I think if we can minimise the penalties and stay switched on in those key moments,
00:44probably get more out of our wider squad as well,
00:48particularly in the back end of the season, that's going to go a long way for us.
00:51A couple of big players gone in Captain Pierce Murrell
00:54and the tackle-busting winger Nimi Coy.
00:57Andy, who's someone we can be excited about that's emerged on the scene
01:00and what it is next year?
01:01Yeah, we've got several.
01:03We've actually lost quite a few players, so out of necessity,
01:07some of the young guys coming through have really put their hand up.
01:11Diesel O. Davis is one.
01:13Geronimo is a really exciting Argentinian hooker.
01:16I think people will really enjoy the way he plays.
01:19We've got Moni, who's come from the Central Coast,
01:21and we've got a couple of other front rowers that are coming up from the Central Coast as well.
01:25So, yeah, we've got quite a few new players.
01:27You mentioned hooker.
01:28Andrew Chawala, former New South Wales Waratah,
01:30and 2014 premiership-winning hooker at Wanderers is working with the forwards.
01:35What does he bring?
01:36Similar to Scherzer, probably not quite as intense,
01:39but, yeah, I mean, a few of us were lucky enough to play with him
01:43and went to comp with him several years ago,
01:45and he's obviously played a really good level of rugby,
01:49and he's starting to impasse that knowledge onto the squad.
01:54As I said, we've got quite a number of young fellas that are coming through,
01:58and they're really taking on what he says, taking it on board.
02:03What does a successful 2025 look like for Wanderers?
02:07Every time I do this, I usually say club championship,
02:10and I think this year we want to get the first-grade premiership.
02:14We probably had the team the last few years where we should have challenged.
02:17Like you touched on earlier, we sort of fell away in those key areas
02:21and the discipline wasn't where it should be.
02:23So I think we've got the squad there.
02:25Yeah, things that, you know, since Scherzer's been appointed with AT on board,
02:29it's a fresh start.
02:32Yeah, I think if we can get a first-grade premiership, I'll be happy, man.
02:36And who are you going to have to beat to win that premiership?
02:38Obviously, Meriwether, the premiers?
02:39Yeah.
02:40It's such a – I think this year's going to be such an open competition.
02:43From what I'm hearing, everyone's pulled together some strong squads,
02:48I should say, some new talent.
02:50Sounds like a few people may be returning to the comp as well.
02:53So Meriwether, Maitland, even Hamilton Uni,
02:57I think they're all going to be strong this year.