BLAYNEY is firming as a serious Group 10 finals contender in 2015 after the club officially announced the signing of Will Ingram and Lewis Stanley.
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The Bears have endured two wooden-spoon campaigns since rejoining Group 10 full time in 2013, but the steady improvement shown last winter is set to develop into consistency in 2015.
President Adam Hornby said anything other than a finals appearance next year would be deemed a failure.
“That’s the same for every club,” Hornby said of the Bears’ ambition.
“Everyone wants to play finals. It’s not make or break for us next year, but we definitely want to keep improving. We’ve got a good group of kids coming through the juniors as well.”
Ingram is well known in Group 10 circles having come through the Cowra system before playing a vital role in helping the Magpies to this year’s grand final.
Big, strong and capable of playing long minutes in either the front or back row, Ingram is exactly the player Blayney needs to complement explosive prop Terawhiti Cooper, who will play with the Bears again this season after having his end-of-year 2014 suspension stand at two games.
Stanley, however, will turn heads.
A representative gun at under-18 level, Stanley played for Western Rams and Country NSW at that level before signing with the Newcastle Knights.
He since returned to play a leading role in Wellington’s surge to third in Group 11 last year and, with one of the best kicking games in Western Division, will add some serious class to the Blayney halves in 2015.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to has huge raps on Lewis,” Hornby said.
“I met him for the first time on Sunday and he’s a big boy, wouldn’t look out of place at lock or in the back row.
“But we’ve signed him as a five-eighth. It’s up to the coaches though.”
Hornby said Ingram would add some much-needed muscle to the Bears’ bid of a top-five finish next winter.
“We were a bit light on up front, and we rate Will very highly,” he said. “He’s played a bit of group footy and he’s father played with the Bears. We think Will’s a good fit at the club.”
The signatures of both Ingram and Stanley are set to complement last year’s squad, with only prop Sam Coyte exiting King George Oval during the off-season.
Hornby was pleased the likes of Terry Brown, Josh Rainbow, Kurt Beahan and Cooper were all set to don the maroon and white again next season.
“We’ve re-signed nearly everyone,” Hornby said.
“Kurt’s in for a big year. People have to remember last year was his first full season in three years. He copped a bit of flak but he’s in for a big year.”
Unofficial training will begin in December for the Bears, but coaches Dane Howarth and Mick Nixon will apply the pre-season blowtorch on the Blayney squad from mid-January.
nick.mcgrath@fairfaxmedia.com.au