SHE had been eyeing off a Western Challenge trophy to mark the start of her tenure as coach of the St Pat's league tag side, but now Mish Somers is thinking about Magpies.
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This Saturday when Somers runs out as captain-coach of the Saints for the first time, it will be when the blue and whites do battle with the Forbes Magpies in the annual Brendon 'Stubby' Collits Memorial Day.
It will come on her home turf at Jack Arrow Oval after her intended debut at the 2022 edition of the Western Challenge did not eventuate.
The annual pre-season Western Challenge, which was to be staged in Canowindra on Saturday, was cancelled as number of teams which intended to play were impacted by COVID-19.
While Somers has captained the Saints to plenty of success in Group 10, this season she has also stepped up to coach. She takes the over the helm from Mick Armstrong and is excited about what lies ahead.
"They're a great bunch of girls and to coach them is a bit of an honour," she said.
"After playing as their captain for the last few years, to be coach will be great and as we've got some young girls coming through it's about fostering that talent as well as joining in with the old girls and having a run around."
The squad Somers will have to work with this season includes the same experienced core which has won 50 consecutive Group 10 matches. But there will be some new faces too.
"It's pretty similar to last year, but with no 18s comp, we will have a couple of girls come up from 18s that will join our senior squad," she said.
"We've got Cheynoah Merchant who hasn't played tag for a couple of years, but she's come across from Hawks this year and is going to have a run with us as well. She was a bit of an option in the hooker-forward role."
The Stubby Collits Memorial has been staged since 2014 between Forbes and St Pat's as a way to honour the memory of the talented hooker who represented both clubs.
That first year saw under 18s and a seniors clash, the program for the day having since expanded to include league tag and reserve grade fixtures.
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