In bad news for his club’s Group 11 rivals, Cobar Roosters captain-coach Peter Ford has declared himself fit and ready for the 2009 season.
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Ford battled through last season after suffering a debilitating bout of glandular fever late in 2007 but admitted yesterday that he is primed to return to his rampaging best.
“I had a solid pre-season going into last season but that came after four or five months of doing nothing,” Ford said.
“Then late last season I got another flu and I thought it was the glandular fever returning so I lightened off and thankfully it wasn’t.
“But this year I’ve had a good pre-season so far and I’m pretty keen to get back to full throttle.”
Ford has taken on the sole coaching role in 2009 after sharing it with Col Jermyn last season. However Jermyn’s retirement has ensured the tough lock will have full control of the club, which will battle to overcome the loss of key players.
Representative props Adam Betts and Steve Lyons have left and will be playing in Wollongong while knee problems have forced Jermyn’s retirement and a question mark over the availability of centre Shane Martin.
But Ford said the Roosters will battle away and will be keen for another crack at finals football after their success in recent years.
“Obviously you always aim for the top but given we’ve lost a few guys we will have to rebuild a bit this year,” he said.
“It’s pretty hard to find good props, particularly in the bush, and I think we will probably have a few young guys doing a job for us throughout the season.
“But they seem keen and even though getting numbers to training has been hard, I think we will have a pretty good season.”
Ford sees defending premiers Dubbo Macquarie and their cross-town rivals CYMS as the teams to beat again in 2009, admitting resources made things much easier for the Dubbo-based clubs.
“They’ve got a bigger base of players to choose from and I would imagine things are a bit easier for them in terms of getting sponsorship and those kind of things,” Ford said.
“Those teams have been the best for the last two years and even though it would be nice to see someone else pop up and challenge, I think they will be the teams to beat again.”
