Griffith Three Ways United Football Club president Damian Thorne believes this could be the year the side wins the NSW Koori Knockout.
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The side has gone close in recent years – in 2015 Three Ways United was cruelled by a short turnaround, as the side went down to Newcastle Yowies, after knocking over 2014 champions Walgett Aboriginal Connection – and Thorne said a bit of luck could see the trophy go to the Griffith side.
“The last two years we've been put in what they call the death pool,” Thorne explained.
“The death pool consists of all the best teams in the knockout.
“If we’re lucky enough to jag an easy pool, we can – not so much limp through to the finals – but we could probably get through to the finals unscathed.”
There is a few notable omissions in this year’s Three Ways United lineup.
At the top of the list is Andrew Fifita who will be running out for Cronulla-Sutherland in the NRL grand final.
Josh Charles will also miss the knockout as he will be on a tour with the Country Firsts side in Samoa.
Whilst the losses are big, Thorne said the club worked tirelessly to fill the spaces.
“We’ve picked up a couple good players,” he said.
David Fifita will be back from England where he played with Super League side Wakefield Trinity and he’s bringing with him former NRL player Jarrod Sammut.
Geoff Johnson returns to the team – after a couple years out – along with TLU sensation Jesse Wighton.
Wighton’s teammate Michael Mitchell also comes into the side and his inclusion fills Thorne with the most pride.
Mitchell had been on Three Ways United’s radar for a couple years but one thing or another had made it not possible.
However, it didn’t mean he didn’t follow the side and last year he watched every minute with bated breath.
Things fell into place this year and both camps couldn’t be happier.
“He told me ‘I really wanted to be there, whenever there was a big hit or tackle, I was jumping out of my chair’,” Thorne said of a conversation he had with Mitchell.
“That’s the sort of passion we look for. You can’t get any better than that.”
Whilst several new players have been welcomed to the fold, the core of the side has remained the same.
This is the key to success, according to Thorne.
“If you can hold a side together for four or five years, every player gets to know each other and we’ve got that now,” he said.
“Most of these players have played with us for about three years – that’s an advantage in itself.”
Rugby league is the platform for the knockout but Griffith Three Ways United’s Robert Carroll said it’s about much more than that.
“It’s all about well-being, health and interacting with each other,” Carroll said.
“[About] building their skills and resilience up.
“It’s all about positive life skills, making the right decisions and sport – we’ve seen what sport can do for our mob.”
The players will learn which pool they will be in on Wednesday night when the draw is announced.
Not only is the side doing it for the prestige that goes with winning the knockout but also for what Griffith will benefit from the win.
The winner gets to host the drug and alcohol free event and Thorne said around 20,000 to 30,000 attended last year’s event in Dubbo.
Thorne called on the Griffith community to support the team in any way possible, whether it be financial or otherwise.
“We just spent $1500 on strapping gear so it shows we’re serious,” Thorne said.
“If we ever win it the Griffith community will benefit from it in a lot of ways.
“We’d love if the Griffith community can get behind us.
“We’re not for profit and everything’s accounted for and goes towards us doing our thing.”