Gisborne is hoping for a change of fortune under new coach Rizman Reddy in the FV state league 7 north-west season.
After a strong 2024 season, the Sky Blues found the going a bit tougher in 2025 and have dropped to the new bottom rung as part of the competition restructure.
Rizwan Reddy takes on the coaching role for this season.
“I coached a few years ago and have played at Gisborne the last couple of years,” he said.
“I’ve known Carlos Grande and come to play for him the past two years.
“It’s a nice little town and it’s mostly locals that are part of the club.
“I’m excited to get back into it and get back to winning ways.”
Reddy coached Maidstone United before joining Gisborne which he said felt like the Sky Blues were like home for him and his family.
He said they had set big expectations for this season.
“Last year was a tough year, the year before was a little bit better,” he said.
“The intent to win the league get us promoted this year.
“We’ve bought back a couple of players and some new locals.
“We’ve got a good mix of experience and youth.”
Former captains Jake McIntyre and Sam Allen are two key returnees for the Sky Blues.
They’ve also added a number of juniors who have played at a higher level elsewhere and are coming back to the club.
Reddy said they felt they had the right mix.
“Last year we were a lot older, this year we have a 50-50 mix,” he said.
“We’ve got guys who are 17, 18, then guys in their mid-20s and then guys in their 30s.
“It’s important to have some youth and some players with experience to help guide them.”
The Sky Blues have started friendlies ahead of the season kicking off in March.
Reddy said they had been working on a lot of stuff at training.
In a new competition, the Sky Blues will have some new challenges this season.
“It’s positive looking,” he said.
“There’s five or six teams that we haven’t played before.
“It’s good to go up against those sides.”
The Sky Blues drew one of those teams, Birrarung, in the opening round of the Dockerty Cup which is set to be played on Saturday at Dixon Field in Gisborne.
Reddy said it would give them an idea what to expect coming into the season.
“It’s always an interesting time,” he said. “It’s a good game to start the year with and hopefully we can get through to the second round.”
