20/01/2010 Hillies Gear up for Season 2010

Preparations are well underway for Hunters Hill Rugby Season 2010. Following a highly successful 2009, the club is gearing up for greater challenges and hopefully similar success in 2010. As the reigning Club Champions, the Black and Whites will contest their 119th season in
Division Two.

Emulating a season that saw all four grades sides make it to the Grand Final will be no small feat. On the other hand, atoning for the loss of all four Grand Finals is sure to be in the minds of those returning this year. 2009 Club Captain Jules Arndt explains; "It's great to get back into training at Boronia and most of the guys seem to be itching to get back on the field."

The Grand Final day itself was quite a spectacle, finishing with first Grade conceding a try in the final seconds to Merrylands. Hillies lost the tight encounter, 13-12, despite almost stealing victory with the last kick of the game. A penalty kick from the halfway line glided inches wide of the posts before the final whistle blew, but no-one could argue with what the club had achieved. All the effort was rewarded when Hunters Hill was named as the NSW Club of the Year.

'It is an amazing effort for a Division three side to win the Overall Club of the Year', Suburban Rugby Competition Manager Tim Richards stated after the presentation, ' Although Hunters Hill have had a very successful year on the field, it's the club's administration, organization and behavior off the field which has made them stand out amongst the 56 clubs in Suburban Rugby.'

Hillies should be well equipped to handle the rigors of Division Two rugby with 2009 stars Sam Henry, Dave Marshall, Luke MacLennan, and club stalwarts Dean Thomson, Jules Arndt, and Alex Light all confirming their availability for season 2010. With new players showing interest and new faces already showing up for circuit training and touch on Wednesdays, this will help to bolster anever-improving roster with pre-season only weeks away.

With the club not only fielding 5 grades sides but also an Under 85 Kg midweek side as well as two all-new Under 21 Colts sides, 2010 promises to be the biggest Hillies season in many years.