HE is not sure what to expect and still finalising positions, but new Panorama Platypi opens coach Kevin Grimshaw has set his squad a goal for the new Western Women's Rugby League season - win at least two games.
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Grimshaw feels that if the Platypi can manage two wins through their five round matches then they will be a good chance of advancing to the finals.
That is not something the Platypi opens have managed in their two prior campaigns in the WWRL, but Grinshaw is keen to seen them continue the improvement they have shown over that period of time.
"It's still hard to gauge as I haven't seen them play yet, they are training pretty good but we don't know what our expectations are yet," he said.
"I'm going in a bit blind because I haven't seen the other teams.
"So what we've got to concentrate on is winning two games because I think that will get us into the semi-finals, if you win two games you'll get fourth sport I reckon.
"I'd love to say we win five games, but I don't know because I'm going in without being able to watch them play anywhere."
While Grismhaw's coaching resume is lengthy - he's coached St Pat's sides to Group 10 under 18s and premier league titles - this season marks his first involvement with the Platypi.
He admits it's a different prospect to what he has encountered with the Saints, but he's excited to see what the season brings, albeit it a short one.
What we've got to concentrate on is winning two games because I think that will get us into the semi-finals.
- Kevin Grimshaw
The Platypi are one of six clubs involved in the competition, joining the Orange Vipers, Mid West Brumbies, Woodbridge Cup, Castlereagh Cougars and the Goannas.
"I wanted something different, I won't say a challenge, but I wanted something a bit more left-field for me after coaching seniors and the under 18s. Cas [Hanrahan] had asked me to do anything and I said wouldn't mind doing the opens," Grimshaw said.
"Obviously women's sport is progressing through the roof too, you can see that with the NRLW, they've got full coverage on Saturday with their games.
"I'm enjoying the challenge of it, just going back to the skills, leaning to catch and pass properly, running nice lines. Because we are not going to be a big side, I'm trying to teach them how to avoid contact with some of the larger girls they're going to face - how to use our speed and feet better rather than running straight into them."
The Platypi face a stern first up test when hosting defending premiers the Vipers in Sunday's opening round at Wallerawang.
It will be a different looking squad to last season as star Western Rams prop Haylee Lepaio won't play this season and a shoulder injury has sidelined talented hooker and 2019 skipper Zarlia Griffiths for at least the first round.
Bronte Emanuel, who has won league tag premierships with St Pat's and CSU, won't be available to fill a playmaking role for the first fortnight while injury has ruled out potential new recruits Lilly McIntosh and Mardi Watts.
However, after impressing in the forward pack last season prop Anna Evans and lock Emma Miller will return. Western representative Meredith Jones has also joined the Platypi's ranks and her experience will be a plus.
Former Group 10 league tag player of the year Erin Naden will make her WWRL debut and while she has not played tackle rugby league, she does have tackling experience given she has been a member of the Orange Tigers' AFL Central West outfit.
Hannah Kelly, who played alongside Naden, Jones and Emanuel in the St Pat's league tag outfit will line up for the Platypi, as will another tag talent in Lithgow's Shannon Legge.
Grimshaw's also recruited Aimee Schmidt from the Bathurst Giants' AFL Central West premiership winning outfit and Claudia McLaren, who won dual grand finals with the Bathurst Bulldogs' union side and CSU league tag team.
Grimshaw is eager to see how those new combinations stand up to the Vipers.
"There's some talent there and yeah, I am excited, I'm on Facebook to them all the time," Grimshaw said.
"We'll try to knock them up a bit with our speed and our fitness and after 10 minutes each quarter they might be struggling a little bit and that's when we can strike, if we can hold them in defence.
"If they are big and coming at us, we need to get off the line or otherwise they will run over the top of us."
The action at Wallerawang Oval on Sunday starts at 10am with the under 14s, with the under 16s (11.20am) and under 18s (12.40pm) to follow before the opens clash kicks off at 2pm.
