RETURNING Orange City co-coach Steve Hamson says the motivation behind another tilt at the Blowes Clothing Cup in 2015 will be the club's youth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Australian Rugby Union's women's manager has been re-appointed alongside dual-premiership-winning mentor Mick Gray, with Hamson the mastermind behind the Lions' stunning attack for the last five seasons and Gray the expert in charge of Orange City's impressive pack since 2011.
The Lions have not finished any lower than third since 2010 and despite the emergence of both Orange Emus and premiers Dubbo Roos in 2014, Hamson is confident the Lions will figure prominently again next winter on the back of the rise of some premiership-winning colts.
Simply, the top-grade end game is premierships.
"To be as successful as we were in '12 and '13," Hamson fired when asked what the goal was in 2015.
"There's a lot of good players coming out of colts and the motivation for me is to work with some of those young kids coming into grade full-time.
"We might not have made the grand final, but we were there or there abouts all year and the club was still very successful in making grand finals in seconds, thirds and colts, and to be part of a successful club like this and help to continue its growth is always a good thing."
On a player front the Lions look set to be without five-eighth Michael Sparks for the 2015 season, with the gun pivot due to undergo a shoulder reconstruction on October 8. A lengthy rehabilitation will leave Orange City on the look-out for a new No.10.
Reliable winger Sam Powell is also on the out, headed to the coast next year.
If the indication Hamson has been given headed into 2015 is on the mark though, Orange City will have a more than handy replacement for any absentee outside back next season.
"We should have Junior back," he revealed, with try-scoring phenom Sione Lafa'ou set to return in Lions colours next year.
"He's got a New Zealand passport now and has been in contact with a few of the guys to say he's keen to come back.
"We also get back guys like Harry Collins, and then guys like Tom Nell, Benny Wright, Terry Brown, they all come up full-time."
The Lions' pre-season will begin in early February.
