ROGERS PROGRAM HARD AT WORK

As the smell of pine and Christmas cake starts to fill the air, there is a group of over 40 players who are hard at work preparing for the 2023 Rogers Cup season.

This years’ squad trials include a mix of players from the 2022 Rogers Cup team, a great group of players identified from the Community competition and a couple of graduating players from our Academy.

The whole squad took part in a full match conditions scratch match at Pentanet Stadium on Sunday, where the intensity of a match played in December was amazing.

A couple of the well know faces, Mia Russo (2022 Fairest and Best Winner) and Sophie Fisher (2022 Runner-up Fairest ad Best) are showing great early signs in all the run testing and the intra-club scratch matches.

Molly Conroy, Tayla Anthony, Jekylah Garlett, and Kaitlyn Roper showing how much they learnt playing a year of league football and what they could bring to a 2023 Rogers team.

Scott Kounis the returning Head Coach had this to say, “Pre-season is travelling really well at present, the skill development coming along nicely, and the base level fitness is tracking above last year, which is all helping create the excellent vibe around the group”

“What is impressing me the most is our vision at such an early stage of pre-season in the couple of scratch matches we’ve played”.

Along with a bunch of new players we have welcome a couple of new coaches, Naomi Bowran previously played with the Falcons and known for being a leading goalkicker within the league, has come on as a forwards coach. Naomi said,

”I have enjoyed being back around footy and putting on the Red and Blue again, it’s definitely a special place. I’ve been really impressed with everyone’s passion and commitment to the team and eagerness from all the players to learn and be the best they can be…..it’s going to be an exciting year.”

Joining Naomi is Lea Caccamo, who join the Falcons 2022 WAFLW League team and will be mixing her playing with being the backline coach for the Rogers Cup side

Lea commented, “I have enjoyed the vibe around the group, both coaches and players, everyone wants to get better. The players’ attitude and desire to improve has impressed me the most. They ask questions and ask for feedback, and you can see them implementing changes into their game at training and match sim.” 

Head of WAFLW Development, Luke Richardson has praised the squad and how they’ve returned:

“With key internal metrics being hit as we closed out Season 2022, we knew we had momentum moving into the off-season. What’s been most pleasing is how our players have returned hungry to hold up some silverware once again.”