WANDERERS’ 2015 men’s Premier League Hockey campaign has been given a massive off-season boost with gun duo Keiran Gentles and Matt Johnson agreeing to join the Orange club next year.
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Adding significant strike power to a side that’s battled in front of goal in recent seasons, the former Burwood Briars pair will link with the orange and blues in 2015 as part of the Wanderers’ bid to become a men’s PLH finals contender and close the gap at the top between Bathurst giants St Pat’s and Lithgow’s Panthers.
President Adam Hurford said both would prove massive additions for Orange hockey.
“It’s great to have the calibre of those guys joining us next year,” he said, Chris Alport also returning from a year off hockey.
“Keiran is returning home and Matt is keen to play. It’s great for the club.”
Both will be well known among PLH circles.
Gentles was previously a star with Bloomfield before both he and Nick Sharp left to pursue a chance with the Briars at the beginning of the 2010 season.
Sharp returned in 2011, while next winter will be Gentles’s first in five seasons in the men’s PLH competition.
Johnson is a Bathurst Souths junior and after playing with Burwood in the Sydney Hockey Association first division competition, moved to Orange in 2013, but at that point made the decision to commute to Bathurst each week to play with his junior club during the course of that season.
Both will be valuable as the Orange club attempts to improve on its fifth-place finish in 2014.
“Along with guys like Keegan [Brooke], Nick Sharp, they can run a bit more freely ... it’s created a bit more attack for us next season,” Hurford enthused.
“We’ve got Micky Dillon coming back from injury as well and the potential we have up front now is great for us looking ahead.
Hurford revealed last year’s coaching trio of Beth Shea, Andrew Reddan and Pete Shea would also return in 2015.
Such is the enthusiasm of some of the members of the squad, unofficial Wanderers training began in November, but the squad as a whole returns to the training paddock in January 2015.
Hurford said it was the goal of the club to be pushing the men’s PLH top four.
“Hopefully the semis,” he said, looking at the 2015 squad and coming up with a goal.
“The biggest thing is everyone involved last year is now well aware of what Beth, Porky and Pete want, and heading into next season we know what’s expected of us.”
He said the development of the group throughout 2014 pointed towards a big season.
“We were winning games last year and we were in games. And with guys like Keiran Gentles, Matt (Johnson), Micky Dillon, Keegan Brooke and Nick Sharp, we’re capable of scoring goals. There’s a new aspect to our attack,”
“Everyone has to work for their spot now. And that’s what we want. You have to work for it now.”