The Hunter River Times

BY ALEX TIGANI

Scone junior premiership coach Todd Carr has confirmed he will be back next season.

The third-year mentor led the Thoroughbreds to the top of the Hunter Valley Combined Competitions under-15 table this year with a 10-1 record.

As a result, Scone was crowned as both the minor and major premier by league officials for finishing ahead of Cessnock (8-2), Wests (8-3), Valentine (5-1-5), West Maitland (5-6), Singleton (4-7) and Nelson Bay (0-1-9).

An additional four junior teams were also crowned as minor premiers in the Hunter Valley Group 21 junior competition.

“The result was no surprise, they have been sort of building for it for a few years,” Carr told The Hunter River Times.

“We went from under-13s where we won two games all year to finishing second last year and bowed out in the finals.

“So to be up the top of the table minor premiers and then claim the major premiers title was no surprise to me.”

The Thoroughbreds celebrated early victories over Nelson Bay (16-6), Greta Branxton (40-6), Singleton (22-4) and Wests (24-6) before suffering an upset 28-18 defeat to Valentine in Round 5.

“The game was a reminder that people were stepping up to try and knock us off,” Carr continued.

“From then we just had to be confident in what we’re building towards.”

Club officials believe this talented line-up boasts a dozen future first grade players for the club including Jack Foley, Heath Pittman, Sam Carr, Matt Edwards, Dylan Keane and talented back rower Hayden Young.

“Hopefully we have made a pipeline for that to happen,” Carr concluded.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t actually get to the grand final game itself so that is one more box that we need to tick next year.”