A new coach, new players and a new season face the ‘Neers in 2023

Toowoomba’s Mountaineers are in for major changes after hiring a coach with 25 years of experience and a close association with the Brisbane Bullets. Here’s what’s in story for the upcoming season.

Sean Connelly is the new men's coach for the Toowoomba Mountaineers, Friday, January 13, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

BASKETBALL: With the disappointment of the 2022 season behind them, the Mountaineers have their sights set on the season ahead.

Falling agonisingly close to clinching a play-offs berth, the ’Neers are determined to crack the top teams this season.

New men’s head coach Sean Connelly is setting big goals and targets for his players to achieve this season.

Relatively new to Toowoomba, having only moved from Brisbane within the last 14 months, Connelly has been employed with Toowoomba Basketball during this time.

Connelly has big ambitions, stating, “ … anything short of winning would be a disappointment.”

“We are preparing for a competitive season, with the title aspirations always the main goal,” Connelly said.

“I’m expecting that the team will leave everything out on the court when they play.”

Having worked with the Brisbane Bullets prior to becoming the ’Neers head coach, he was also the coach of the Brisbane Capitals senior men’s team that won back-to-back titles in the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

With 25 years of coaching experience Connelly is planning to use his experience to bolster the title hope of the side.

“I have a set style of play that has provided success in the past which I am introducing to the side,” he said.

“It’s a high tempo, disruptive style of play.”

Finishing second in the table during the regular season last year and missing the final by a only one point in the semis, Connelly is using this as inspiration for the new season.

“My goal is to use last year’s successes as a stepping stone and build on it further,” he said.

Currently in the QSL competition in the men’s and the women’s leagues, the goal of not only the team but the club collectively is to get back into the NBL1 competition.

“Building the Queensland youth league teams for both under 21s men’s and women’s will help create a clear development pathway and streamlined pathway to playing at an elite level,” Connelly said.

“Anything short of winning won’t be a failure but it will be extremely disappointing. Of course we don’t know what challenges will be thrown at us but that’s not an excuse nor a reason to not believe in ourselves.”

With upcoming “Open Trials” to be held on January 17, 19 and 22, both the senior men’s and women’s team are looking for talent in the region to see if they can make the side.

Unable to fully disclose the 2023 squad due to ongoing trials and other factors, Connelly did say that Adam G, and Cam W will be returning for the season. And new signing Jacob Davis from the Brisbane Capitals will be joining the side.

Cameron Weber for Toowoomba Mountaineers. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Adam Gehrig for Toowoomba Mountaineers. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Jacob Davis (centre). AAP Image/Regi Varghese