Tallon Smith

After a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Parkes Spacemen are looking to bounce back and make a return to the Peter McDonald Premiership finals series after a year’s absence.

Following on from a Grand Final loss to Mudgee in 2024, the Spacemen endured a tougher run last year, ultimately finishing one spot outside the finals in ninth place.

Second year Parkes coach Sam Dwyer said that the club has had a strong start to the pre-season, with healthy numbers and a few new additions hitting the training paddock in recent weeks.

“We started pre-season [two weeks ago] and had a really good turnout there, a lot of the boys from last year re-signed at the end of the year, so we’ve got that similar squad but we’ve added a few blokes in which is nice in a couple of key positions,” he said.

“Everyone’s keen, we had 50 or 60 odd at training on Tuesday, so it was really exciting.”

After achieving just five wins last season, one focus for the club over the off-season has been recruitment and retention of key players.

While he had to remain tight-lipped on a few potential signings which are still negotiating with the club, Dwyer was pleased to announce the return of a local player with experience in the Newcastle and Canberra competitions.

“We’ve signed Campbell Woolnough, he’s been playing up in Newcastle, he’s a hooker,” he said.

“He actually went to Red Bend, he boarded there, went down to Canberra, was playing a bit down there, and then back up to Newy, and he’s out this way now, so we ended up snagging him which was really nice.

“We got another back rower that we’re in the works of getting, just depending on his partner getting some work, we’ll having him signed, sealed and delivered, so that’s exciting, but can’t really say anything yet because we haven’t got him at the moment.”

One pair of departures from the club which Dwyer is sad to see go is that of veteran Luke Clarke and forward Joash Toringi, who have joined West Wyalong in Group 20.

While Clarke spent the 2025 season in reserve grade, the experienced playmaker will return to first grade football this year coaching the Mallee Men, while Toringi also takes with him experience playing first grade football in Papua New Guinea, Western Australia and the Northern Rivers.

“They were really good, Clarkey’s been around the club for a lot of years now, he lives in Parkes,” Dwyer said.

“He’s played at a few other clubs but spent most of his time here in Parkes and he’s been one of those blokes who has done a lot for the club, both coaching and playing as well, so I think West Wyalong have made a good move getting him, he’ll bring a lot of energy, he knows his stuff, and he’s been a good player for a long time, so they’ve done well there.

“Joash, he’s pretty terrifying the big fella, he’s a big unit, he runs the ball hard and his defence is pretty lethal, so they’ll be two really good assets for West Wyalong, I can see them doing big things over there.”

Finally, after missing the finals in his first season in charge, Dwyer said he believes the squad the club has assembled is more than capable of sealing a return to the playoffs this year.

“Definitely, it was disappointing [missing the top eight in 2025], but this year we’re definitely looking to make the finals,” he said.

“I definitely think we’ll have the squad to do it, just improving that little bit on last year.

“We’ve got a couple of younger boys that played their first year of first grade last year and having another year under their belt will be a lot better for them, so definitely the goal is to make the finals, and I’m pretty confident we can do that.

“Once we do that, who knows what could happen.”

The PMP draw is expected to be released in the coming weeks.