After a delayed start to their next chapter, Yoogali SC are now gearing up again for their first season in the National Premier League 2 competition.
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The club has been back training for the last couple of weeks, and over the weekend, the side held an intraclub match with coach Luke Santolin pleased with how the squad is shaping up.
"You normally call it possible versus probable, but there is enough quality in the squads where the two sides are going toe-to-toe we are going to run those for the next three weeks until the first game," he said.
"The intensity is quite good, which you don't normally get in an intraclub match."
With the club unable to hold trial games until June 10, Santolin is confident that having the two strong squads playing off for the next three weeks will have their side in the best condition possible heading into their NPL2 opener.
Santolin said there would be plenty of battles for position in the first-grade side with the younger players showing plenty of desire to make their way into the team.
"Our squad is probably balanced fifty-fifty, out of the 30 players registered 16 or 17 are under the age of 23 so a lot of them are going to be pushing for first grade spots which is healthy competition," he said.
"We still have our core of older players who have been with us for the last four or five years that are good steady hands and bring experience, but in terms of youth and the energy that come with that there is a lot of competition for spots."
The squad has also been bolstered by the return of players who's plans for 2020 have been put on hold.
"We have had some players who were maybe going to play footy or another sport, and they have come across," he said.
"Samuel Raciti who was part of the premiership-winning Rhinos side (under 18s in 2018) was going to have a year off, but he has come back.
"We have also picked up a couple of younger boys who have had their university years postponed. They have added to our squad. I think in the end we will have around 32 players which is an ideal number."
The competition is set to get underway on July 18 with one full round to be played before the top four sides enter into finals.
"Initially it was just going to be first past the post, but thankfully everyone will play each other once, and then the top four go into a finals series," he said.
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