After a slow pre-season, the Sunbury Tigers are looking to make up for lost time in the NRL Victoria Storm premiership first grade.
The Tigers have lost their first two matches as the group slowly comes together.
Coach Grant Kaka said it had been a less than ideal pre-season.
“We had a large number of players unavailable for the majority of the pre-season,” he said. “That has been a real challenge and we’re making up for lost ground.
“There’s some new boys in the mix.
“The team is starting to bond and gel and getting the combinations right the next couple of weeks.
“We’re fairly confident that it will happen, we’re just getting there. The group is committed to having some success.”
While the senior side hasn’t quite put it together on the field, things have been going well off field.
The club is fielding two senior men’s teams this season. After struggling for numbers COVID-19 they had to fold their senior men’s team program, before re-establishing it in 2022.
“It’s the first time since 2019,” Kaka said. “We have a fair bit of depth in the club as well.
“It’s been huge for the playing group and they are up for it and feel a bit of success will come our way, which is good.
Kaka said they had a real mix of local players who had grown up at the club, while players had come from places including Wyndham Vale, Point Cook, Epping and Wallan.
“The club wanted to develop skills and play in a structured environment,” he said. “Players come from far and wide.
“They all buy into it.”
