Cam Bishop and Mark Brown from the Murray Bushrangers at John Foord Oval.
The John Foord Oval is back in action with Corowa Rutherglen footballers resuming preseason on the most picturesque oval setting last Wednesday night.
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And there was an excellent line-up of coaches who took charge of training ahead of an imminent announcement of the club’s senior coach. “We are getting close,” assistant coach last season Dave Melksham told The Free Press about the coaching situation.
Premiership Roos coach of 2000 and 2003 Peter Tossol and fellow Murray Bushrangers - head coach Mark Brown, assistant coach Justin McMahon, and strength and conditioning coach Cam Bishop - led about 35 players through their paces last Wednesday.
The training was impressive, with enormous keenness shown by players who were split into three groups of short, sharp running and kicking of the football as part of the training format.
“It’s great to be back here particularly to help out a great club and just prior to the Christmas break,” the recently turned 60-year-old Tossol said.
“We volunteered to help out with training. We’re keen to see Corowa Rutherglen be competitive and we’re happy to try and assist where possible.”
Pre season training for the Roos began at Morris Park as the John Foord Oval and surrounds were under water following weeks of the oval being under water with consistent rain and releases from the river. At Morris Park, club stalwarts, captain Joe Hansen, Haydn Filliponi and Scooter Seymour, took charge of training.
Last Wednesday was a welcome sight for Corowa Rutherglen Football Netball Club Graham Hosier. ”It’s great to be back at John Foord Oval after the floods,” he said.
Meanwhile, netball training commenced early December with the courts becoming available for training before the football oval.
Under 15’s coach Noel Halton said light training for the under 17 and newly formed under 15 side was going “very well” creating plenty of buzz around the club.
The introduction of an under 15’s side by the Oven’s and Murray was a welcome addition to the strong Roos netball contingent.
“We’ve selected our squad for both the 17’s and 15’s and we have really healthy numbers” Noel said.
“It’s all a bit new and exciting. It’s about these girls developing, more than anything else.
“One of the positives is that a lot of the girls selected had come through the CADNA (Corowa and District Netball Association) program. It’s been a great transition from that. We are really starting to see the benefits of the program since it was launched a few years ago.
“We have had three training sessions this year and our 17 and 15 girls have already started bonding which is great to see.”
Noel comes with plenty of netball credentials having previously coached the Wangaratta Rovers A Grade side. He is also a current coach at North East Talent Academy for Netball Victoria and recently he picked up a gig with North East Blaze as the 2023 Apprentice Coach.
While some of the senior netball girls have joined light training sessions before Christmas, official senior and junior training will kick off in full swing early next year.
Dual Roos Premiership coach Peter Tossol enjoyed being back helping with training.
Cam Bishop from the Bushrangers at left helped with Corowa’s training last Wednesday.
Roo star Jason Marks during training last week.
Roo’s netballers Codi Smith, Eloise Black, Remy Longmire and Ava Phibbs pictured prior to training last Thursday.
Light training has commenced for mainly the under 17 and 15 girls with a few seniors joining each week. Preseason training has been under the leadership of newly appointed Under 15’s coach Noel Halton.
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