After combining with the Guyra Ghosts rugby club for the 2017 season, the Glen Innes Elks are back in the blue and white and are ready to take to the field for a new season.
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The Elks will run out in the New England Rugby Union’s third grade competition this year in an effort to begin the re-building process for the club.
Their first game starts this Saturday with an away clash against the Barbarians in Armidale.
Elks vice-president Sam Price said the playing group is pretty similar to the last few seasons but is “unsure” on how the team will go with a more casual mindset towards training.
“We will be right but it will be interesting to see how many numbers we have - we have been a bit short at training,” he said.
“We have a lot of blokes that are interested in playing but aren't interested in training, being third grade.
“The club is just looking for a bit more of a casual approach so we are not going to know how we look until this Saturday.”
Two years ago the Elks played first grade to finish at the bottom place on the ladder.
Last year’s merger between the Ghosts and the Elks was brought about to try and be more competitive.
The venture wasn’t to be but since the Elks have reignited their interest in playing as a standalone club in third grade, Price said it has sparked a bit of interest back in the sport again.
“There's a lot of positive feelings, everyone is happy just to be back as our club and we are looking to be back at Rugby Park so everyone is pretty excited about that as well,” he said.
“We will just see how it goes.
“Fitness may be a bit of a problem for us this year, we are only training once a week.”
The club is focusing on going back to just enjoying the sport and is hoping the Glen Innes community can get behind the Elks as they aim to re-build.
“It should be a good year and I think everyone is going to have a good time and enjoy themselves and that is what it is really important to us this year,” Price said.
“We are trying to build that fun back up and get some interest back in the community.
“I think we should have a good year, we will just coast along and hopefully we can just build some interest back in the player base and get everyone keen to play again.”
The Elks’ first home game will be on April 14 against Robb College.
In the first grade competition, newcomers to New England, Tamworth Magpies, will play host to the reigning premiers St Albert’s College for round one.
Last year’s runners-up, Robb College, will take on the Armidale Blues.