Saints aiming to be in 'mix'

Published 12:00pm 4 March 2022

A desire to be a better team, rather than seeking revenge for a grand final defeat, is motivating Pine Rivers St Andrews ahead of the start of the new Brisbane Hockey League season.

The Saints will start their 2022 campaign on March 5 against Easts, the side which beat them in last year's men's Division 1 premiership decider.

It was the second time in four seasons that the Tigers had beaten the Saints in the grand final.

Driving force

However, Pine Rivers St Andrews coach Andrew May says a desire for continual improvement and an ambition to “be a better team and unit” is driving the Brendale-based side.

"Our motivation comes from within. We simply want to be better as a squad and a club," May said.

"The expectations for 2022 is simply to improve across the side, be in the mix at the end of the year, and give ourselves the best chance to try and get the grand final again.”

Shane Kenny is a key player for Pine Rivers St Andrews. Photo by Andrew Blanchard

One of the competition's top sharp shooters, striker Matt Argent, has returned to Pine Rivers St Andrews to add extra firepower in front of goal.

Argent scored 37 goals in 31 games for the Saints during the 2014 and 2015 seasons and was the league's top goal scorer playing for Kedron-Wavell four years ago. He will partner Jared Taylor, last year's top scorer, up front for the Saints.

The new season starts with the Brisbane Hockey Gala Day at the State Hockey Centre at Colmslie on March 5, which will see all 10 men's Division 1 sides and all 10 women's top-grade outfits play at the same venue on the same day.

Final rematch

Games start at 11am with Pine Rivers St Andrews to tackle Easts in the Brisbane Hockey League grand final rematch from 2.30pm.

Meanwhile, four Pine Rivers St Andrews players have been selected to Queensland Under 18 teams to compete at the Australian Championships in Newcastle in April.

The quartet is Cooper Punch, Brayden Naess, Jacob Anderson and Rhys Stenzel.