-------------------------------------------------------------------- Larson Hopeful, But
Realistic By ROB KELLY NORTH SHORE
TIMES - 19/3/2004
North Sydney
Coach Gary Larson.
Cohesion will be central to the hopes
of the North Sydney Bears this season, in the opinion of coach Gary
Larson, as the Premiership strugglers look to improve on last years
perform ance when their campaign opens on Saturday against Balmain.
The game at Leichhardt Oval wifi feature a plethora of new talent, with
the Bears containing 15 new players out of the 24 man squad, and their
opponents also boasting a number of new ad ditions to their squad.
Larson is quietly optimistic of an improved season, and with so many
significant additions the coach is positive.
“Obviously we finished bottom last season but if we play with
more cohesion, and with more control, then it will go a long way
towards winning our fair share of games”. he said.
While there may be grounds for hope for the perennial under achievers,
the former inter national is realistic in his assess ment of the
forthcoming term, “I’m not looking beyond this Saturday,
and am just going to take each week at a time, but if we can finish
better than last year, and win more than a handful then it wifi be a
success for us”.
Larson has seen encouraging signs in the five trial games played by the
Bears but admits that the squad are “just getting to know each
other”.
The coach expects a tough start to the season but as the squad’s
unity grows he believes they can be competitive “the new guys
have brought a lot of enthusiasm, so I’m very hopeful for this
season” he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------
