By Tallon Smith

The Junee Diesels are generating momentum heading into the 2024 season, with strong numbers being recorded at training across all six grades as they prepare for the upcoming Group 9 Rugby League season.

After a few tough seasons, things are looking good for the Junee club as they again attempt to end a 38-year premiership drought.

Diesels President David Holt said that things are looking “positive” as the club builds for their first ever six-grade campaign following the establishment of a Group 9 Women’s Tackle competition this year.

“Everything’s all positive, we’ve got a few people away on holidays at the moment, but we have good attendance at training right across all six teams,” he said.

“We took it as a directive from Group 9 and the NSWRL that there will be a women’s tackle competition this season for the first eight rounds, [run as] a nines comp.

“We’ve had plenty of interest there from girls who have shown up just for tackle, and then on top of that we’ve had our league tag girls as well.”

Holt said that strong numbers have been recorded in the lower grades, despite their first match being over two months away.

“We have Under 16s as well, even though they really haven’t got a game until the start of April, and we’ve had a few of those turn up to training, and when I say a few probably half a dozen to eight,” he said.

“18s are in that mix, and every training run has got at least 20 senior players.

“We’re very confident going into the season numbers wise, players wise.”

One consistent theme of the club’s pre-season according to the President has been an energised squad, with last year’s tough campaign not affecting the Diesels’ morale.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm around the club, which is good,” Holt said.

“We didn’t have an overly successful season last year, we didn’t win many games across all grades, but just the enthusiasm of those people that were involved, you would have thought we were winning more games than losing.

“I think the enthusiasm that was around the club, that’s continued going into this season.”

Another key talking point over the summer was the return of Junee product and Group 9 stalwart Damian Willis after a long and highly successful tenure at Gundagai, with speculation rife that the local legend may lace up the boots again for the Diesels in the upcoming campaign.

Holt said that Willis’ focus is on coaching, however he didn’t rule out the prospect that he may feature in the blue and gold throughout the season.

“So you’ve got Daniel Foley [as the] head coach, assisted by Damian Willis,” he said.

“He’s not looking at having a full time go of it, but I think he’ll come in where and if needed, and when he’s feeling fit to do so as well.

“He’s been getting plenty of fitness under his belt, so he may hit the season running.”

The Group 9 season will kick off in April, with nine clubs to contest this year’s First Grade competition with the Wagga Brothers’ return.