"WE don't want to do it half-baked."
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That is how St Pat's are approaching the newly proposed under 21s pre-season competition between Group 10 and Group 11 clubs and why they are on the hunt for players.
The Saints are keen to participate in the competition should it go ahead, with fellow Group 10 club Orange CYMS and four Group 11 clubs also reportedly committed to the concept.
But if the Saints are to play, secretary Gary Goldsmith wants their presence to be about more than making up the numbers. He wants those who pull on the blue and white jumper to challenge any potential rival.
"The thing here at St Pat's, we don't want to do it half-baked," Goldsmith said.
"We want to have solid numbers so we're not letting anyone down each week and we can be competitive. If we can get about 20 guys, that would be pretty comfortable with injuries and work and things like that which come up."
Goldsmith said the idea for the competition was floated at the Group 10 annual general meeting late last year, the concept one that former New South Wales Rugby League Western manager Peter Clarke was keen to see come to fruition.
The secretary got a good response when discussing it with under 21s Saints players during pre-season training sessions held prior to Christmas, and this week more interest has come following a call out on social media.
Goldsmith is hopeful those who join up for the pre-season competition will also form part of the Saints ranks once the Group 10 season commences on April 24-25.
"I ran it past a few guys at the training sessions out at St Pat's and there was some interest there," he said.
"There are a few names that come to mind Nik Booth, Nick Barlow, Cooper Neilson - he played a few games of firsts off the bench and put his hand up at training the other week.
"Since we put a post on Facebook I've had a few texts from people who were not St Pat's regulars, so hopefully we might be able to draw a few more guys back into the game and hopefully they might stick around for the season.
"It could be a good stepping stone between one and the other."
While the draw and a start date for the "short, sharp" competition is yet to be finalised and there will be clashes with other pre-season games, Goldsmith is a fan of the concept.
"The thing is, guys haven't played footy, guys at the top of Group 10 and Group 11 had a run in the Western Rams but the guys in that bracket that had finished 18s missed a whole year of football," he said.
"So this is a good way of generally introducing them.
"Blayney are having a 7s competition, we're having a 9s competition at St Pat's and there's the Bathurst Knockout and each club will have their regular trials, but this is a regular week-in, week-out thing I think might work.
"If it gets off the ground it will be good.
"It's got that segue into what's up for discussion in 2022 with the crossovers and merger talks."
Saints resume their pre-season training at Jack Arrow Oval on Tuesday, January 12 at 6.30pm. Anyone looking to play is welcome.
