Sport
30 April, 2025
Stanley River kick off season on a high note
THE Stanley River Wolves’ senior teams have flipped the script in 2024, with the A Grade side undefeated and sitting atop the ladder.
The Reserve Grade team is also flying high, sitting inside the top four after winning two of their first three matches.
Both sides faced a huge test early, taking on last season’s premiers, the Beerwah Bulldogs, in the opening rounds — and both delivered emphatic wins.
The A Grade outfit came away with a 32-16 victory, while the Reserves smashed the Bulldogs 34-12.
Club president Sam Cooper credited the club’s early success to smart recruitment and a top-class coaching staff.
“I put a lot of how they’ve gone down to coaching and recruitment,” he said.
“The boys obviously had a pretty rough year last year, and we did a pretty heavy season review.
Credit to the coaches this year for recruiting so well in both the A Grade and Reserve Grade space.
I think everyone’s bought into the culture we are trying to build here at Stanley River, and the results are starting to show on the field.”
After a tough 2023 campaign — where both senior teams finished at the bottom of the ladder — the turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable.
“We know how difficult the Sunshine Coast Gympie competition is,” Cooper said.
“We are taking every game on its own and by its own merits, and there’s definitely no such thing as an easy win.”
Cooper said it was a huge boost to knock off last year’s premiers straight up.
“Round one was washed out due to intense wet weather; we were meant to play Coolum, which is another benchmark team,” he said.
“When we came up against the Bulldogs — and they were missing some players from their grand final team admittedly — we were over the moon to get the win.”
Cooper also paid tribute to the playing group and the committee’s pride in the Wolves’ early-season form.
“As a committee we’re super proud of how the boys are buying in and obviously the job that the coaches are doing,” he said.
“I can’t stress enough it’s down to the boys on the ground that are making the results.”
The Wolves will finally host their first home games of the season in two weeks at the Woodford Showground, with Cooper hoping the teams’ momentum will bring a big crowd through the gates.
Last weekend, the A Grade side stayed perfect with a 32-12 win over the Caloundra Sharks at Tinonee Oval.
Reserve Grade, meanwhile, suffered their first loss of the season, going down 32-18 to the Sharks.
Both Stanley River senior teams are back in action on Sunday, May 11, taking on the Noosa Pirates at 1:30pm and 3:00pm respectively.
