Braidwood Redbacks assistant coach, Nick Kemp, has said that the 2019 season was "exceptional" for the club.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Despite falling short of the top four, and subsequently missing finals, Kemp believes that Braidwood's hugely successful second half of the year has the team poised for a big run in 2020.
"It was an exceptional season really, we were hoping for a top four finish but it took us probably the first half of the season for the patterns and the understanding of playing styles to gel," Kemp said.
"As we got through the first half, our patterns and discipline got to the fore. We beat Jindabyne, we beat Crookwell, we beat Batemans Bay, the only top team we didn't beat was Taralga."
Two years ago, the Redbacks were an inexperienced lineup who had been cobbled together.
Since then, under the guidance of Kemp and head coach Anthony Hayes, along with the introduction of some more experienced players fresh from the Canberra competition, the side has grown into an outfit capable of upsetting any of the top sides.
"We were a force to be reckoned with. I suppose the general mood in the player group is fantastic, they were really confident towards the end of the season," Kemp said.
"I think the structures and some of the nuance of the game, the players are responding to those. We had a fairly structured training program that was focused around building those skills and that teamwork.
"This year we [also] got an injection of players coming back out of the Canberra competition who helped lead the paddock."
Kemp knows that the key to continuing and improving the results earned in 2019 will be dedication over the off-season.
"Absolutely, players are very confident that we can make the top four next year," he said.
"We've just got to be careful about getting ahead of ourselves, but we know we've beaten some of the best teams in the competition by fair margins. They're aware we need to hold the group together, which means doing the work in the off season.
"It's all very very positive, great team vibe, great community support. We come from the smallest town in the competition and yet we get the biggest crowds ... which is fantastic for the club."