SCGRL: A-grade 2024 season preview, predictions
Ahead of round one this weekend, every Sunshine Coast A-grade head coach has uncovered their off-season takeaways, season aims and players to watch for 2024. Read the full season preview and see our predictions.
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Ahead of round one this weekend, every Sunshine Coast A-grade rugby league head coach has uncovered their off-season takeaways, season aims and players to watch for 2024.
With the open women’s season already underway, the A-grade, reserve grade, C-grade and under-19s season will begin on April 6 and play their grand finals on September 14.
The a-grade competition has also expanded to nine teams this season with the Stanley River Wolves re-entering the top division for the first time since 2021.
While Beerwah aim to defend their 2023 premiership victory, the competition will also welcome four new head coaches in Jamie Floss (Caboolture), Chris Corbett (Kawana), Marty Cordwell (Nambour) and Ethan Szendrey (Stanley River).
The SCGRL have also made the decision this season to have two widespread bye rounds for the NRL Magic Round (May 18-19) and the 47th Battalion (July 13-14).
Ahead of round one the Daily caught up with each team’s head coach to find out how pre-season had gone, their 2024 competition aims and which players they believe are ones to keep an eye on.
BEERWAH BULLDOGS
Head Coach: Brett Hill
Captain: Matt Kidd
2023 Result: Premiers
Pre-season Takeaways: “Absolutely the attitude from the boys. My job is really easy at the moment because the boys have all bought-in and are leading the way.”
Season Aim: “I’ll be without one of my key props (Daniel Kidd) until round three so realistically if we can just be competitive for those opening weeks or until we get our older and Falcons boys back that will be good. We’re not going to go on a dream run like we did last year but if we can show some positive signs early that’ll help everyone.”
Key Players: “In terms of new recruits we’ve only got one in Tom Dwan who is a good edge forward or centre but we’re trying to bring a few younger blokes through this season. I’ve lost almost majority of my starting forward pack from last year so we’ve put a lot of focus on bringing the new kids up to speed. Jackson Kite will be really good to get back from the Falcons when he finishes with the under-19s. He’s captaining them at the moment and is just a damaging ball runner.”
Why they’ll be competitive: “Their spirit, their mateship and their willingness to buy in are the big ones for me. There’s not too much focus on last year, we’ve moved on as we look to the challenges this season and what we have to do to get back there.”
Prediction: As Hill said “it won’t be a season like the last” but you’d be pretty silly to write Beerwah off as a competitive force in 2024. Their loss of key forwards in the early rounds will hurt them but their round one side will look a lot different to the side they run out towards the back end of the year. I expect them to be gritty, tough and hard to play at home once again. Can hold their spot in the top four.
KAWANA DOLPHINS
Head Coach: Chris Corbett
Captain: Luke McBeth
2023 Result: Runners up
Pre-season Takeaways: “I think the culture is really positive both on and off the field. It’s a very tight group, they’re all mates off the field which makes things a lot easier at training and once the season rolls around,” he said.
Season Aim: “Last year we had a lot of unforced, fundamental errors, silly blow ups and a lack of cohesion. I think this year is more focused on doing the simple things and doing them right every time. That’ll help open the game up and allow us to hopefully control the footy and the game as best we can. We should be a bit more fluent with the ball this year, we’ve got good skill throughout the side and they’re quite a mobile bunch.”
Key Players: “Jackson Russell has been a Kawana junior since under-7s and I think this is the year for him to really take hold of the team. He’s matured, has good experience behind up and will be a standout for us. Lachie Woods has had a few years off but he came up from Norths a few years ago. His playing ability is great but it’s his attitude that I’ve been really impressed with. Jack Haymen is another new recruit, he’s much the same with his great attitude and skill set and of course the same can be said for Luke McBeth. He’ll lead the boys again this season, is a true footy player and controls the side extremely well. In terms of younger guys who I think have a real shot at cracking A-grade there’s Cayse Munro, Billy Lawrence, Josh Martin and a few others.”
Why they’ll be competitive: “The balance and the attitude excites me. They’re all on the same page with their nature and approach to training and during the season. I’ve seen it before and if there’s any side that can win a competition it’s this one.”
Prediction: Have lost a fair chunk of players from their grand final appearance last season and for the first time in a while, struggled for numbers in the early parts of pre-season. The curtains have come to a close on the Hinson era but new coach Chris Corbett has plenty of good wraps on his ability. No doubt they’ll pick up key wins like they always do but I’ve got them finishing somewhere in the middle of the table.
MAROOCHYDORE SWANS
Head Coach: Bart Hold
Captain: Tom Geraghty
2023 Result: 3rd
Pre-season Takeaways: “Our team culture across both grades is really good at the moment. The players have been big driving factors for both sides going well this year which is really pleasing for myself and the coaching staff.”
Season Aim: “We want to put our best foot forward every week. First and foremost we have our own inner sanctum goals that we’re striving for as a team and individually and then in the bigger picture the aim is to make finals and go from there.”
Key Players: “It’s hard to single guys out but young Oscar Crawley is going really well at the moment, he’s come leaps and bounds in the past few seasons. Brodie Riseborough has also returned after a year off which is huge and we’ve also snagged a new recruit in Hayden ‘Spud’ Bartlett. Those guys mixed in with our captain Tom Geraghty who just sets the standards at training and on game day.
Why they’ll be competitive: “The buy-in from the players has been unreal. That has really excited me because I haven't had to do much in terms of motivation or drive. I think if that continues it will hold us in good stead this season.”
Prediction: Many counted them out last year as they rose from the dead at the 11th hour and made it all the way to the semi-finals. They’ve now managed to hang onto the majority of their core this season which is almost like it’s all Bart Hold and captain Tom Geraghty need for a successful year. Will be battling for a top four spot.
NOOSA PIRATES
Head Coach: Mick Duff
Captain: Kris Williams
2023 Result: 4th
Pre-season Takeaways: “There’s been a big change in culture this year, we’ve had consistent numbers at every training session and numbers of 20 to 25 which is something we haven't had since I’ve been involved. The quality and the standard set by the players has been huge which is great. Anthon Zipf has also come on board as an assistant coach, he’s a club legend that brings a wealth of experience. He’s spent a lot of time with our spine and you can already see the improvement there through our trial games.”
Season Aim: “The weather hasn’t been too kind lately but that’s the same for everyone. I think with the squad we have we really want to be pushing deep into finals this season. Beerwah was the benchmark last year and I think it’s still the same, what hurt us last season was our depth. We had enough players, we just didn’t have the quality to push through.”
Key Players: “Rohan Messer has taken on a vice-captain role this year and his leadership and commitment has been huge. Kris Williams is going to be our captain this season, he’s a Noosa junior and is coming to the end of his playing days but to captain his boyhood club in it’s 50th year is very special. New recruit wise we’ve got a few, we haven't been too vocal on social media with who we've picked up but those guys have really bought in. Matthew Craven has come down from Bundaberg after winning their player of the season a few years running, Brodie Baker from brighton, Jackson Ricotta has been outstanding. He’s a former Falcons under-21s player. Then locally Harry Dwyer has been exceptional, Ethan Pohlner is coming along great guns, Dyllan Cousens has been fantastic so it’s a good mix heading into the year.
Why they’ll be competitive: “We’ve focused really hard on strengthening our depth this year which will make a big difference for us. The players know that there’s a handful of guys battling for their spot in the side which we haven't had before.”
Prediction: Have somewhat stayed low and crept under the radar in the off-season but I like what the Pirates are building. Duff will enter his second year in charge with healthy numbers and key players leading the charge. They still have a few young guys coming through the ranks but I expect their spine to go to another level this season. I like them as a dark horse and they’re a side that could finish anywhere from third to sixth just on the basis of the teams I have above them.
CABOOLTURE SNAKES
Head Coach: Jamie Floss
Captain: Tim Tupou
2023 Result: 5th
Pre-season Takeaways: “We’ve just been focusing on the little one per cent plays and effort areas to get our culture and combinations right.”
Season Aim: “Everyone wants to win the comp but our main focus is consistent, tough footy each week. If we can put everything together we’ll find ourselves in a finals sport but it’s a week-to-week thing for us at this stage.
Key Players: “We’ve got some guys like Joel O’Brien and Hunter Smallhorn who will be solid again but excited with some of our new recruits like Tim Tupou, Alex Crust and Steve Reynolds who have been around the game for a while and add some nice experience to our side.”
Why they’ll be competitive: “Our depth is a big one but we also have a great mixture of tough, skilful, experience and younger players. We want to play some exciting football and with our squad I think we can do that.”
Prediction: Have lost a few senior names in the off-season and although they’ve recruited some older heads, the Snakes will be pretty reliant on their rising crop of juniors and early 20s players this season. They were a bit of a rollercoaster side last season but if they can put everything together they’ll definitely be a bogey side for rival teams in 2024. Making predictions before a ball has been kicked is always a wonderful thing but I’ve got them finishing in the bottom three.
COOLUM COLTS
Head Coach: Matt Smith
Captain: Luke Philp
2023 Result: 6th
Pre-season Takeaways: “The culture is huge at our club at the moment. We’re all binding together well with our new faces, youthful guys and others coming through the ranks. We’ve bought a few guys to the club that have more A-grade experience and they’ve really been setting the standards really well. That leads to positive flow on effects of strong fitness levels, communication and the rest of it so that’s the biggest thing I’ve noticed.”
Season Aim: “It’s little steps for us. We’re entering our second year in the top grade and we really want to better what we did last year. After what I saw in the early rounds we probably let ourselves down in the middle of the year before picking things up towards the back end of the season. We couldn’t quite scrap into the top four but finals footy is a massive goal of ours this season. We think we should be in semi-finals but we’re just focusing week-to-week at this stage.”
Key Players: “We lost our lock Hsed Faaee to Easts Tigers in the off-season so it was a big goal of our to try and replace him as best we could. We were able to pick up Dan Moevao from Noosa, their former captain. He’s slotted straight in as a great ball-playing forward and leader which has been great. We also picked up Nathan Saumalu who is a high quality player that’s adaptable to a lot of positions. Holding onto Sam Elara who I believe was one of the best centres in the competition last season. He’ll be massive again with a year under his belt.”
Why they’ll be competitive: “Without the under-21s Falcons competition we’ve got our three younger players back on a permanent basis. Having the whole squad train twice a week makes things a whole lot easier rather than guys coming in and out. Obviously we don’t like to focus on those Falcons guys coming back to us, we just look at who we have and any we get back is a bonus but the side we have currently is capable of pushing really hard for finals spot, if not grand final. The belief they have at the moment when they look around and see who they’re playing beside is special.”
Prediction: Here they come. The Colts got a taste of A-grade last year, earning plenty of respect from opposition players, coaches and fans. They dipped in and out of competitive form during the 2023 season but have arguably recruited the best of anyone during the off-season. Their 2023 flair, sprinkled with some key experienced players should take them a long way this season. A real top two chance for me.
CALOUNDRA SHARKS
Head Coach: Craig Cleary
Captain: Ethan Gaffney
2023 Result: 7th
Pre-season Takeaways: “Our fitness levels have been really good. We’ve bought in a strength and conditioning coach this season and mixed that with plenty of jiu jitsu, wrestle sessions. We lost way too many players last year to injury, went through about 45 different players so player preservation has been and will be my main goal this season. The numbers are good, their healthy competition for spots and Dane Hogan has come on board as our assistant coach. He’s linked up with Jack Cornford which makes it easier for all of us to share the load.”
Season Aim: “I’ve broken the season up into sections. Our first four games before our bye are really important to us, I think anyone can beat anyone at the moment but it’s also hard to judge during pre-season. The aim is definitely finals and anything can happen from there.”
Key Players: “We lost a few of our young guys to the Melbourne Storm, Bulldogs and to Sydney as they follow their NRL dream and there’s a few younger guys coming back from the Falcons who would normally walk straight into our A-grade side but they’ll actually have to work hard for that this season. Rueben Olive and Kurtis Shayler in the centres will be strong again and they’re both as fit as they’ve been in a long time. They’ll provide plenty of strike especially when linking up with Alex Williams who’s played in the Australian Police side. He’s a solid winger and a powerlifter so very strong and damaging on the edge. There’s a few from the BRL and Rajan Opetaiia-Halls from Noosa who adds nice experience and punch in the middle.“
Why they’ll be competitive: “We’ve got some extra depth, experience and some age maturity this year which is a shift from how we travelled last season. Through all the injuries we relied on a lot of young guys but our average age now is up around 26 or 27 which brings a much more calming environment to our squad.”
Prediction: Were hammered, absolutely hammered with injuries last season and it was always going to be tough to claw back points when they needed them. They enter this season with plenty of healthy legs and key strike power players that I think could take them deep into the finals. A serious injury to star hooker Haydin Elsebach is a tough pill to swallow but I loved what I saw from returning player Ben Marshall in the pre-season 9s tournament. Another standout side that should be vying for the minor premiership.
NAMBOUR CRUSHERS
Head Coach: Marty Cordwell
Captain: Marty Cordwell
2023 Result: 8th
Pre-season Takeaways: “Certainly one thing for us is that we had to get the work done. Finishing lower on the ladder for the past few seasons we knew we had to start early and put in some solid ground work before round one. We started in November, got some good runs on the board and that’s had a massive impact on our culture shift. Everyone’s turning up with good attitudes, we’ve got good coaches on board working their magic and it’s definitely one of the more experienced coaching setups that the club has had in a long time.”
Season Aim: “I think it’s really important and it’s a classic cliche but we just have to stay focused on our own game. One thing we've focused on is being competitive in every area of the game to have more Nambour jerseys in the picture. We’ve got our core four values so I think if we achieve them the results and match performances will look after themselves. That might take a few weeks but it certainly gives us an opportunity to play well if we get those things right.”
Key Players: “I think Jaiden Zanchetta is really exciting to get on board. He’s a good young prospect on the Sunshine Coast that’s played some good footy in the Falcons system over the years. Getting him in our halves is massive for us and he’ll link up really well with Phil Dennis who’s played the most ever Queensland Cup games. It’s awesome to have that calibre among our group and to see how the other players respond.”
Why they’ll be competitive: “It is a week-to-week situation but I certainly think we have the calibre of players and depth in our squad to be competitive. One thing about us is that a large majority of the guys are local football prospects or Nambour juniors so it makes them extra proud to pull that Nambour jersey on. If we can get excited to pull that jersey on each week, to represent the club and town with pride I think we’ll go alright.”
Prediction: Nambour looks to have some key pieces of the puzzle as they enter the 2024 season and I think many expect to see a much more rounded Crushers outfit in comparison to their past seasons. Their key players will direct them around the park well and it may result in Nambour playing a fun, ‘park footy’ style. They’ll improve on last season and I’ve got them finishing middle to low end of the table.
STANLEY RIVER WOLVES
Head Coach: Ethan Szendrey
Captains: Kane Zalewski and Taylor Brown
2023 Result: N/A
Pre-season Takeaways: “A big thing for me has been with us coming back into A-grade we’ve had a lot of new recruits come in. Just how well they’ve bought into the club culture, are upholding our standards at training, through the practice matches and around the club has been a big takeaway for me. The other would be seeing the guys who have been somewhat stuck or wedged behind a few grade guys in recent seasons really step up to the plate and take charge of our new-look reserve grade side.”
Season Aim: “If you’re not coaching to win comps you’re in the wrong role but for us we’ll break our season down into three parts. We certainly want to be pushing for finals and if we can find ourselves in a position of achieving that by the middle or back half of the season then we’ll re-evaluate and push on from there.”
Key Players: “From the recruits that we’ve announced Ben King is a good one from Redcliffe Dolphins. Taylor Brown is one that’s been out of the game for a few years but has heaps of experience in the Queensland Cup and NYC with St George Illawarra. Kane Zalewski has come across from Dayboro Cowboys where he’s won quite a few division one premierships. They’re some of the main three recruits plus ones we’ve retained like James Cochran who has been a club captain for many years, Jaye Allery, Lance Ainsworth, Daemon Cruise and more which is exciting.
Why they’ll be competitive: “What excites me is that it’s a very new side. We’ve bought in some very experienced guys, have some good rising players and now I just want to see them out on the paddock. We’re wearing a bit of an underdog tag this year but we’re excited as a group to pull on the jersey and compete every week.”
Prediction: Not many people like being the ‘new kids on the block’ but Szendry has a bit of chip on his shoulder as he aims to earn competition respect for his side. They’ve signed well and will definitely be hard to play at home so I expect them to jag a handful of wins in their first season. They’ll earn some fans as the underdog but the unknown makes it hard to pinpoint a ladder prediction so I’ve got them in the bottom three.
PRESZN PREDICTION
Beerwah boys Daniel Kidd and Jordan Bain have launched their new podcast ‘PRESZN’ during the off-season, putting a focus on SCGRL senior rugby league.
Kidd, a Bulldogs A-grade enforcer and Bain, a reserve grade great, have been involved in the competition for more than 25 years.
Each Monday they’ll be dropping a new round recap episode as they aim to cover all senior grades including under-19s, C-grade, reserve grade, open women’s and A-grade.
Prior to kick off they’ve given their end of season A-grade ladder predictions and key players to watch from each team.
To listen to their latest episode or view their social media channels click here.
1. Coolum, Seaton Reid and Nate Saumalu
2. Maroochydore, Riley Moore
3. Beerwah, Matty Kidd and Kale Sheraton
4. Caloundra, Benny Marshall
5. Nambour, Marty Cordwell
6. Kawana, Jackson Russell and Luke Mcbeth
7. Stanley Rivers, Taylor Brown and Scott Maddick
8. Noosa, Rohan Messer
9. Caboolture, Steven Borg
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