Few clubs in country footy have endured a pre-season as tumultuous as that of Dubbo CYMS.
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From going down to Forbes by four points in one of the most enthralling grand finals seen in some time to the ultimately unsuccessful campaign to switch to Group 10 the Fishies have hardly been out of the headlines.
That, combined with a number of key player departures and a disjointed pre-season has the men in green and white looking the most vulnerable they have in years.
But coach Tim Ryan, entering his fifth year at the helm, isn’t concerned by all that has happened.
“I don’t think so,” he said when asked if motivation and focus will be an issue in 2017.
It doesn’t mean anything, it’s all about 2017.
- Tim Ryan on CYMS' tumultuous off-season
“Like I’ve said before it all starts again now and it doesn’t matter what happened last week, last month or last year.
“It doesn’t mean anything, it’s all about 2017.”
There is a new look to CYMS this season with 2016 regulars Colby Pellow, Matt Toole and John Grey all no longer part of the side while Jordan Reynolds will miss the round one derby clash with Westside on Sunday through injury.
In terms of news faces, the club’s major signing is the versatile Brad Pickering, who arrived from Nyngan and the former Western Rams player has been named at five-eighth.
“He’s been going well,” Ryan said.
“He came from Nyngan about halfway through pre-season and is warming to it and is fitting in.”
Despite some changes and the fact the side has been struggling to get everyone together at training since pre-season began in mid-January, the side still has an established core group.
Luke Jenkins, Jarryn Powyer, Jyie Chapman and electric fullback Kieran Cubby-Shipp have all been part of premiership winning Fishies sides and Ryan said their experience “makes it easier” to integrate new players and create new combinations.
In terms of Sunday’s derby at Caltex Park, which is a Westside home game, Ryan confessed he wasn’t sure what to expect from the Rabbitohs.
Like CYMS, there has been plenty of change in the red and green part of the city with Colt Tairua stepping up as captain-coach and a number of younger players coming into the fold.
“We played them in the trial and they’ve got some new players and they’ve changed a bit,” Ryan said.
“It’s hard, you don’t know what to expect but we expect them to be ready to go and we’re going to be ready too.”
The action at Caltex Park on Sunday begins with the Ladies League Tag at 11am with under 18s, reserve grade and the main game to follow.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
