PORT City Breakers are taking a different approach into 2020.
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With the Group 3 season not scheduled to kick-off for another 10 weeks, the challenge for Breakers coach Dan Kemp this pre-season has been to keep his side motivated.
While the players are champing at the bit for a game of footy, they appear certain to only play one trial match before they tackle Taree City in their season opener on May 2.
"All the sides we usually trial against are doing it now because their season starts in four weeks, but I didn't see the benefit of trialling eight to 10 weeks before the competition starts," Kemp said.
"Most other sides will be in the same boat, but if they're trialling now I don't see the benefit come round one."
The Breakers had planned on taking a team to last weekend's Coffs Harbour Nines until it was cancelled due to a lack of teams registering because of the wet weather.
"It's a very slow start and it's all social at the moment," the coach said.
"I've found over the years if you take off too early in the year the players are stale come June and July and they run out of motivation to keep training."
The benefit of having few matches under their belts means the Breakers will have their best available side on the park in round one.
"We'll go in with no injuries and the best 17 my club can provide, fingers crossed," Kemp said.
"We will use the first couple of games as trial rounds you could say."
Port City are expected to welcome back a few familiar faces in Jesse Douglas, Richie Roberts and Owen Blair after they won the Group 3 premiership with Macleay Valley last season.
Club junior and prop forward Matt Fieldsend returns after spending a few seasons in Group 11 and their backline will be further bolstered by the addition of centre Patrick Cook who has moved to the area from Goulburn.
"Other than that, we'll have all the young blokes doing it again," Kemp said.
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