TODD Bridge was a 17-year-old halfback when he was among Taree City’s best in the 2007 grand final win over Port City in Group Three Rugby League.
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Bridge, now 29, admits it is hard to believe the Bulls haven’t won a premiership – or made a first grade grand final – since.
“The tide has certainly turned to the northern sides. I think Forster back in 2011 was the last time a southern team won,’’ Bridge said.
He hopes to do something about that in 2019. Bridge will coach Taree City. It’ll be his maiden first grade appointment although he did steer the Bulls to the under 18 premiership in 2016.
Bridge was marked for bigger things after 2007 and left Taree to link with West Tigers under 20s, playing primarily as a hooker. However, injuries transpired against him – he had undergone three knee reconstructions by the time he was 25. He made a comeback from the last recon in 2017 and led the Bulls to the preliminary final, where they were beaten by Macleay at Kempsey in a game where not a lot of luck went Taree’s way. Bridge was later named halfback in the group’s team of the year. But he sat 2018 out and hasn’t decided if he’ll pull the boots on again next year.
“The knee still gives me grief every now and then so at this stage I’m 50-50,’’ he explained.
Bridge originally sounded out last season’s player-coach Matt Everitt about the possibility of taking on an assistant’s role.
“I thought Matt might want someone to bounce a few ideas off. But then he decided he didn’t want to coach, so I was the last man standing.’’
Everitt is expected to stay on at the club.
Bridge believes there’s plenty of promise with the Bulls, even though the club missed the semi-finals in all grades last season.
“They lacked a bit of experience in key places,’’ he said.
“But there’s the nucleus of a strong side there. Blokes like Will Clarke, Matt Taupe, Josh Northam and Todd Northam have all played a lot of first grade and they’re still only in their mid-20s.’’
He thinks the side needs an experienced edge forward and back. Signing this year’s players will be the number on priority and then Bridge will look to bolster the roster.
Bridge pointed out the majority of first graders from last season have won under 18 premierships.
“Obviously it’s a tougher slog in first grade, but the talent is there – getting it out of them week-in-week-out will be the thing,’’ he said.
“The northern clubs have had a stranglehold on the premiership for a long time, so it’s about time we got one back here. When I was growing up the Bulls were always the strong side, so we have to aim for that again. ’’