Workies coach Graeme Osborne is confident Lithgow is building a competitive squad ahead of the 2018 Group 10 season, with a stack of new names on deck for the club’s first session last Tuesday.
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A long-time powerhouse in the competition, Lithgow has battled, to a degree, since making the 2015 grand final.
But signs ahead of the new season are positive, with 2010 five-eighth Sam Elrefaai on deck and some new faces to the group joining the club as well.
Close to 40 prospective under 18s, women’s league tag, first division and premier league players turned up on Tuesday’s session, but securing Elrefaai was a boon for Osborne and the club.
“He comes from around the Hills District. He played with us in 2010 and a little bit in 2011,” Osborne said.
“He has been playing with Auburn for the past four years in the Ron Massey Cup. Last year he played in the A Grade competition in Blacktown and won the comp.”
Osborne was enthusiastic about Elrefaai returning to Lithgow with more experience up his sleeve.
“He has matured a lot. When he was first here he was a young kid pushed out of the West Tigers development squads and he was a good little footballer,” the returning mentor said.
“But now he is greatly matured and can have a role in mentoring the young halves.
“He’ll probably have slowed down a little, but he’s got a good passing and good kicking game, and a good football brain.”
Osborne was also happy to see some fresh faces at the Lithgow showground including Jake Gale of the Portland Colts and Wallerawang’s Hayden Cornwell, who was named man of the match at the Warrior’s grand final win in the New Era Cup last year.
“It looks like we’ve also been lucky to secure the services of Chris Daniels and Shannon Daniels from the Katoomba region,” he said.
Osborne said he would be firming up team lists over the next 12 weeks.
“I guess in the back of your mind you’re thinking of a team from the first day of training, and then just assessing how players are skill wise and fitness wise,” he said.
“I have a philosophy of how I want the game to be played so we’ll work on that for the next 12 weeks. I’m not a big believer in holding trials, they can be more negative than positive.”
Osborne said he would also be assessing how prospective players go in the Bathurst Knockout in March.
