Despite the fact that the Redbacks are going up against the reigning premiers after finishing last in 2018, assistant coach Nick Kemp is anything but concerned. 

“I think if we start the season the way we finished last season [in good form with two consecutive wins], it would be a much tighter contest with Taralga,” Kemp said. 

“Taking those guys on first up will be a good way to judge where we’re going to sit in the competition and what we need to do.” 

Regardless of the outcome of the match, Kemp believes that his side can learn from Taralga as they are at a similar point in the rebuilding phase as the Tigers were a few years ago. 

“They’ll be very strong as they usually are, but Taralga’s a team that has been through a fairly big rebuilding process, so the results they’re getting now, are the result of undertaking the process that we’re trying to go through,” he said. 

What the team is trying to go through, Kemp explained is more intricate than just rebuilding the team. The Redbacks are undergoing an injection of professionalism, to help them become competitive against sides such as Taralga and Crookwell whose longstanding processes are key to their success.

“We’ve deepened the management and the support crew, so that should make life easier and more professional when it comes to training and management of club activities and functions,” Kemp said. 

This includes instituting similar structures not only around the men’s team, but Braidwood’s women’s and junior sides as well, to help develop a system which will help develop junior players into seniors. 

Along with the professionalised layout of the teams, the Redbacks are currently trying to negotiate having three Friday night home games, to build on the immense success and support of the first such game under lights last year. 

“Just because we got such huge community support, so we’re going to try and do three Friday evening games,” Kemp said. 

The full draw will be released by the Brumbies in the near future.