Gundagai speedster Toby Dasey is headed for traintown and a stint in a blue and gold jumper after linking up with the Junee Diesels for the 2025 season. He is pictured scoring the winning Grand Final Try in the final minutes. PHOTO Matthew Stadtmiller.
The 2024 Gundagai Reserve Grade Grand Final winning tryscorer will be making the move to Wagga this year and looks at Junee as a good fit to further his chances of playing regular first grade matches.
Dasey is the second young Tiger to make the move to the Diesels for the 2025 season, following Jack Shubert.
He said, “I want to play a bit of consistent first grade and get a good opportunity to prove myself. I’m keen to play a bit of first grade and cement a spot.”
Dasey has been the fittest he has ever been after overcoming niggling injuries in 2024.
“I’m probably the fittest I’ve been so I feel like it will be a good year.”
Diesels President David Holt spoke with the Independent last week about how the season is shaping up. He said, “We will have a good season for sure.”
He is looking forward to adding Dasey to the squad and seeing what he can bring to the Diesels.
“When you finish on the bottom of the ladder you’ve got no big expectations but hopefully we will do better and there will be less injuries this year.”
“Everything is shaping up well and it’s going to be a good year for the Diesels.”
“We’ve got good player numbers, both male and female, who have indicated they are going to play this season with the Diesels.”
“There’s plenty of enthusiasm at preseason training so far. Things are looking pretty good.”
On the directive that has come through from NSW to Group 9 to the Club, Holt was asked do you think you will go alright with trying to put an 18s ladies tackle and a senior tackle side together, or will it be a bit difficult for Junee?
“The senior tackle side is a definite. There’s enough players there now. There’s 16 there now, but a few more would be nice. The women’s senior tackle side is a definite goer.”
“There’s about eight to ten Under 18s that have indicated that they would like to have a season and we will just have to play that one by ear as we get closer. Over the next two or three weeks we will know for sure whether or not that is going to be viable for the Diesels to enter a team into that competition.”
“It’s a juggling act, trying to remain competitive and that is something that we have worked on, recognising our strengths and working on junior development so that you have that long term build up.”
“You can’t just go in and say we are going to win the Premiership now we are back in First Grade. We have recognised that you have to build up slowly and make sure you get things right.”
The Club will be without Chase Bernard and Ben Shea for several weeks. They are two top flight players that will come back and really provide an injection for the Diesels.
“They will come back at round 8. We miss the first six rounds with them unfortunately, but that’s the way it is.”
“What I said about building, we are already going into 2026 and 2027. We’ve already started working on those years. Chase will definitely be there for those two years. Ben is a little bit undecided as to whether he is going to retire from rugby league or not.
“We have recruited a couple of middles that will hold the fort in their absence and we are looking forward to getting a couple of victories within those first six rounds and they will sweeten things up at the back end of the season. The Coota Bulldogs will be back in Group 9 this year after half a decade in George Tooke.
“As far as Cootamundra coming back in it’s a good thing for the Group itself. It’s a good strong group with good competition.”
“Training is Tuesdays and Thursdays. If anyone wants to contact us they can do that via the Diesels Facebook page.”
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