Continuing with our Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup season preview, Russ Haylock speaks with Dapto Coach Blake Wallace about the Canaries strong off-season and high hopes for the upcoming season.
Coming into his second year at the helm, Dapto Canaries coach Blake Wallace is excited for the year ahead as the team works towards improving on the positive signs it showed at times in last year’s Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup.
Wallace has locked up existing talent, signed some exciting new players, and drawn some former players back to the Club, with hopes that this combination will see improved results for the Canaries in 2023.
A look at last season: Dapto finished sixth out of the eight teams to compete in the Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup last season, picking up a win against Corrimal and Cronulla-Caringbah. The Canaries took some heavy defeats early on in the season, narrowing those losing margins later on and showing solid development as a team across the year.
New Signings: Three big names have been locked up by Dapto this season, with Brad Takairangi, Pita Godinet, and Aaron Gray signing on for 2023. Takairangi, who can play a range of positions but is best known as a centre or second rower, has more than 200 games experience across three NRL clubs and Hull KR in the UK and has also represented New Zealand and the Cook Islands internationally. Godinet is a journeyman hooker who has played 15 Tests for Samoa and 70 matches across the NRL and Super League. Not to be outdone, winger Gray has 49 games of NRL behind him, as well as an appearance for NSW City in 2016, where he scored four tries.
“It helps to have them there to help coach the boys on the fly when they’re on the field. They’re seeing things, and they’re able to help the boys and help me through their knowledge, so they’ve been great to have around,” Blake says.
The Canaries are also boosted by the retention of established first graders such as halfback and 2022 captain Troy Pieper and second-rower Justin Faughlin, as well as the return of Josh Vaartjes, a front-rower who was a part of their 2016 premiership win.
“Last year was a good year to see where we’re at as a Club. We got to see what some of our young fellas can do, they got thrown in, and they handled themselves, so it was about building on that and adding some guys into key areas that would help the boys going forward.”
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Trial Matches: The Canaries travelled two hours inland to take on the Crookwell Green Devils, coming away with a convincing win and a good weekend away for the squad. They also took on the Shellharbour Sharks in a trial match giving themselves a couple of good hit-outs in the lead-up to Round 1.
Early Fixtures: Round 1 vs Wests Devils (Away), Round 2 vs Collegians (Home), Round 3 vs De La Salle (Home)
Blake Wallace, Head Coach: “It’s exciting getting to test ourselves against the grand finalists straight off the bat. There’s no better test to see where we’re at.
“I think if we can just play our style of footy and be consistent for 80 minutes week in and week out, I think the results will take care of themselves.
“The boys are really buying in, and they’re enjoying themselves. It’s been a long pre-season, and I’m pretty sure everyone is keen to just get out there and start playing now.”