Finch factor, club loyalty giving Swifts early season boost

Club stalwart, former captain provide stability as Bluebirds keen to return to Ipswich competition. Jets team also welcome.

A Swifts player tries to control the football during the 2019 Rugby League Ipswich A-Grade grand final against Brothers at the North Ipswich Reserve. Picture: Rob Williams

REFRESHED from a year away from footy, Robbie Carr knows that can be a double-edged sword for his players.

Some people may be tempted not to return after pursuing other sports or taking time off.

However, the Swifts club president is confident the Wayne Finch factor and loyalty to the Bluebirds will ensure a smooth return to this year's Rugby League Ipswich competition.

Swifts teams sat out last year's Volunteers Cup competition involving three Ipswich and three Toowoomba sides.

Although some Swifts players ventured to Brisbane rugby, Carr said the early signs were positive on Tuesday and Thursday training nights at Purga.

"He draws a few players to the club,'' Carr said of 2010 premiership-winning coach Finch, who was appointed last November.

"He brings a lot of good players and a good culture to the club.

"He's a very motivated guy.''

Carr said Swifts had 48 players at senior training last week.

"A lot of players actually went and played rugby union in the Brisbane division,'' he said.

"Nearly all of the players have returned, which has been really good.''

The Bluebirds also had a trial against the Ipswich Jets development team last weekend.

"It was good. Some of them have been back at training since November,'' he said, pleased the players received an early hitout.

As for the Jets entering a team in this year's Rugby League Ipswich A-Grade competition, Carr was supportive.

"I don't mind it,'' he said.

"With the standards they give at their training and their development, it will only be good for the competition.

"You are only going to get better when you are playing quality teams.

"I'm all for it.''

Swifts stalwart Wayne Finch is back coaching the club’s A-Grade side. Picture: Claudia Baxter

Finch returns to the head coaching role this season, having guided the Bluebirds' A Grade team to a 30-18 win over Brothers a decade ago.

Carr is a former premiership-winning Swifts captain, also providing stability at the top.

Like Finch, the club president commands respect at the club having captained the A-Grade side to a 2002 premiership. He also led the side that lost the 2005 grand final to Goodna.

Before COVID impacted many sporting clubs, Swifts made the 2019 grand final, losing to Brothers.

Carr said the club's main concern at this stage of the season was securing extra players for the under-19 competition. That starts in April when the A-Grade, Reserve Grade and C-Grade matches are also scheduled to start.

"We're just lacking at the moment on the colts,'' Carr said.

"It's a hard age group to attract them (in the Swifts demographic).''

However, Swifts junior and colts coach Dan O'Reilly is working hard on the challenge.

That includes scouting for players in regional schools and growth areas like the Ripley Valley.

Carr said the club was offering cheap registration to bolster numbers.

The former A-Grade captain has been club president for the past three years after an earlier stint in the same role.

The draftsman/project manager spent last year working on a major construction in South Australia. That gave him a break from footy with Swifts not fielding teams in the Volunteers Cup.

He's back working in Brisbane with an engineering firm.

Carr said the club was being versatile this season in working with the senior and junior teams.

Junior competitions are also scheduled to start after Easter.

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