Soccer: Gunnedah FC to take on Wee Waa in first round of finals

In a pair of games against Wee Waa, Gunnedah's first and reserve grade teams will be playing for pride.

After what club president Wellington Sardinha described as a "really, really, challenging season" in 2022, they have done well to finish fourth in both divisions and qualify for finals.

"We started the season with a shortage of players," he said.

"We then had a boost of juniors coming up and wanting and willing to play with us, which was fantastic.

"As a club, we're very proud of what they have achieved, especially the reserve grade team."

But the club's struggles this year do not reflect their successes in seasons gone past.

Three premierships in the last seven years indicate a side that was extremely strong, if not dominant, even when they were a part of the Tamworth competition.

So when the players take to the field this Saturday, they hope to do justice to the reputation built by their forebears.

"We have history, because the last six years we have made finals in many of those years," Sardinha said.

"We have won the trophy as well in the old Tamworth league three times in the last seven years. We still have that pride, we want to travel [to Wee Waa] and come back with a win."

Sardinha fully understands that Gunnedah will go into this weekend as underdogs, but said the teams will not carry a defeatist attitude before the games have even been played.

But there are still challenges to be overcome, the biggest of which is the persisting issue of availability.

This, Sardinha explained, was due to the work schedules of many of the senior team members.

"Most of them work shifts, and that has prevented them from attending training most weeks,

"A lot of them have also missed a lot of matches, so that has been the main challenge and dilemma for the team ... that will be no different this weekend."

With "probably six or seven [first grade] players" expected to be available this weekend, the rest of the Gunnedah ranks will be filled by reserve grade players and juniors.

"We know how good [Wee Waa] can be," Sardinha said.

"We are definitely traveling there as underdogs, but we will try to make the most of it and hopefully we can upset them."

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