With the Pathways season kicking off next Saturday, we preview our two U/17’s boys sides before they begin their campaigns against each other at Wests Tigers Club Day.
WESTERN SUBURBS MAGPIES
Head Coach: Stephen Isdale
Assistant Coach: Alec Bush
Assistant Coach: Stephen Butler
The Wests Magpies Harold Matthews Cup team will be looking to produce another strong season after reaching the competition’s Grand Final in 2024.
In last year’s campaign, Wests reached the Harold Matthews Cup decider on the back of their powerful forward pack and dynamic, athletic outside backs.
With the vast majority of the 2024 side now moving into the SG Ball setup though, just three players from the Grand Final team will return to the Magpies U/17's for this season (Tom Goodfield, Jhevon Lele and Siotame Havea Jr.).
Head Coach, Stephen Isdale, is confident that his new-look team will trouble plenty in 2025.
“ We're a mobile football team and I think our strength is going to be our fitness and our defensive efforts,” Isdale said.
“ We'll compete, we'll be in it for a long while and we’ll back our mobility and our fitness to be able to get ourselves out of situations.
“ It's going to be exciting to watch this playing group go around.”
BALMAIN TIGERS
Head Coach: Greg Michell
Assistant Coach: Dane Ryan
Assistant Coach: John Muggleton
Balmain had a disappointing year in 2024, with new Head Coach, Greg Michell, looking to turn their fortunes around this season.
With a well-balanced squad, the Tigers will also benefit from having a much more experienced roster in 2025.
With a strong core of this season’s squad coming from successful local sides, Leichhardt Wanderers, Dundas Shamrocks and Concord Burwood Wolves, Michell is grateful that some key members of his team have now been exposed to big-game environments.
“ We looked at the three local sides that did well, Concord Burwood and Dundas in the 15’s age group and Leichhardt in the 16’s age group,” Michell said.
“ Dane Ryan, my assistant, was the head coach of that Leichhardt side, so I think having a lot of combinations brought in, not just from Leichhardt but also from the other two squads, has helped us work out our style of play.
“ The boys that were in the Wests Tigers Cubs program were also exposed to some really good coaching after their regular season and had a really good standard of training and gameplay against the Titans.”
The Round 1 Harold Matthews Cup clash between Western Suburbs Magpies and Balmain Tigers kicks off at 1:30 p.m. at Campbelltown Sports Stadium as part of Wests Tigers Club Day.
