With three wins from six starts and the arrival of three more top flight players, expect the Diesels to turn that engine and start coughing up the ladder from sixth in to the top four.
Diesels President David Holt said, “Qader Kea came home a couple of weeks ago, played against South City. Chase and Ben finished up last weekend. Chase was home. He flew in to Australia on Thursday, Friday morning he was in Canberra. Jayden, Neddy and Qader went across to Canberra and picked him and his wife and kids up. That was Friday and then he played Sunday.”
Ben Shea arrived in Australia yesterday and will round out the early season signings with the overseas contingent.
It is an interesting way to put a side together, however, with Holt’s experience and last year’s strong finish, anything is possible with plenty of time left in the season in the centenary year.
“Last season Ben was living at Harden and travelling down here for training. I haven’t had a chance to have a yarn with him yet, but I’m pretty sure that that’s it for him going overseas. That was what the plan was and the same as Chase as well, they’ve finished up overseas now,” he said.
The club has seen locals come through grades, mixed with key signings and the overseas contingent for what is a potent squad. The Diesels beat the top of the table Tigers in round 1 this year and will be out to be everyone.
“Yes, it’s great. What we’ve been building towards is that depth and as our local juniors have been developing, and we’ve only got three new faces this year from last year,” he said.
“Jakeem came across from Group 20 from Narrandera. He is one centre and then we’ve got Tevita. He’s come down, he was playing Queensland Cup.
“And then Connor Garrity is the other. And then other than that, we’re pretty much the same faces as last year.
“Ratu didn’t make it back from Fiji after he went home. He’s still having dramas with his Visa and things aren’t working out there and unfortunately, we lost James Strickland to Moruya.”
Holt showed his praise for Strickland and misses his presence.
“It is a shame he’s gone,” he said.
“He came out here in 2021. That season we didn’t have a first grade and he played for Kangaroos, but he’s played for us every year since then. He’s been here for five years, and played with us for four of those.
“Ratu’s been here for a while, he started in the 22 season.”
The Diesels have some important dates supporters need to lock in.
Holt said, “The ’86 reunion will be on Friday, the 17th of July, and then we play Young here on Saturday 18th July.”
“The reason for that is Young was the team we beat the last time we won a First Grade premiership back in 86.
“That will go into the evening, and we’ve got Brett Kenny as the main guest speaker. He was at Parramatta for a few of the premierships during the 80’s.
“Brett was a great player that’s for sure.
“We have got other little bits and pieces going on. Next weekend is the Rick Keast Memorial between us and Brothers, so we play in a special set of jumpers, like a set of pink jumpers in First Grade and then auction those off and then proceeds go to charity.
“We do a couple of charity things. We did the Riverina Bluebell there a couple weeks ago.
“4th of July we have got a hypnotist. We’re doing that one at the Showgrounds. It will be in the Showgrounds hall after the footy game. We have Gundagai here at home.”
Let’s hope that for Junee’s sake they can mystify the Tigers and repeat their first round win.
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