Athletic short on prep, but still fired-up for Shield opener

Athletic short on prep, but still fired-up for Shield opener

Jersey Reds Athletic welcome Old Elthamians 2nds for their league opener at St Peter at 12 pm, hours before the clubs’ professional squads go head to head in a friendly.

Athletic, who took an extended summer break after losing many of their players, endured defeat to Guernsey in the Siam Cup and have not played a pre-season friendly.

‘They [Old Elthamians] have had a pre-season game, but we’ve had nothing so I’m going in a bit blindfolded,’ said head coach Landick.

‘We’ve only really had four weeks of pre-season because I wanted to give the lads more time off this year. We’ve got a small squad and it’s a big commitment playing week after week, sometimes travelling two weekends in a row, but we’ve been training three times a week since we did start and it’s been going well.’

Discussing the opposition, he added: ‘We lost at their place last year but actually beat them here. They’ll be stronger now I think, though, and they’re all arriving here early [yesterday afternoon], which is unheard of for a first and second team to do that. They’ll have a couple of days training here first, but saying all that we’re still hopeful we can get a win.

‘We’re all gutted about the Siam Cup – losing for the first time in ten years is never nice for any team, but this year is about wiping the slate clean and starting again.’

Landick has Bryn Edwards back on duty following a year out through injury, while former rugby league player Jason Smith is set for his debut after moving to the Island from the mainland.

Athletic: (1-15) Douglas McGovern, Andrew Pitcher, Ewan Davies, Ed Howgate, Euan Spencer, Alex Budd, Tim Corson, George Willmott; Liam Rhodes, Simon Johnson; Finlay Laing, Scott McClurg, Nathan Rogers, James Dufty, Adam Spencer. Reps: David Felton, Euan Humphreys, Ben Church, Bryn Edwards, Max Harrington, Matt Kaye, Jason Smith.

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