NEW signings, familiar faces and a hot return to the training fields.
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Pre-season momentum is building at St Pat’s under the helm of new captain-coach Luke Branighan, the man charged with getting the Saints premier league team back into the Group 10 finals picture.
The club had its first training session of 2019 on Tuesday as they look to avoid a third straight season without finals football.
Branighan, who has come across from the Oberon Tigers, has been busy getting to know his new teammates while strengthening the squad with new signings.
Among those is 2014 grand final hero Benjamin John, back in blue and white after a one-year stint with last season’s grand finalists Cowra Magpies.
Traie Merritt has followed in the footsteps of his brother Zac by joining the Saints ranks from Group 11 side Forbes Magpies.
Along with the two new signings Branighan said securing the services of strong Bathurst talent has been high on his priority list.
“My assistant coach Daniel Finn has been fantastic through the pre-season and has taken a lot of pressure off me. He’s been heavily involved with re-signing local players – which was one of the most important things that we looked at,” he said.
“If we were going to bring players to the club they had to be genuine quality and good people.
“We already have a good hooker at the club with Hudson White but Benji contacted the club and he wanted to be involved. We very excited to accommodate him.
“Traie’s a back-rower who has won premierships in Group 11 and is a very talented footballer and a good guy too.
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“Brent Dennis has come out of retirement, Garry Reilly is back at the club and Tyson Medlyn has come back from a serious injury last season.”
John was pivotal in the Saints’ most recent premiership where he scored a hat-trick in the 2014 grand final win and was named best on ground.
Traie Merritt’s workrate was his biggest asset in 2018.
Merritt hardly took his foot off the pedal in the second row and played out the entire premiership-winning season without missing a match.
Branighan is hoping to give it his all for St Pat’s and said the smooth transition has certainly helped that cause.
“The committee have been first class,” he said.
“I heard a lot of good things about the club before I’ve signed and they’ve been fantastic to myself and my family.
“They’re very genuine, know their footy and it’s led to a very pleasant pre-season.”