ANTONY STEWART (Townsville Bulletin)
December 26th, 2008
HE worked wonders in the junior ranks – now the Curra Swans are hoping Glenn Faulds can wave a similar wand when he steps up to the AFL Townsville Premiership.
Faulds was last week appointed head mentor in a new-look coaching arsenal that will take the helm of the Swans' senior team for the 2009 season.
The Victorian, who moved to Townsville about 10 years ago, was seen as the perfect man for the job after a string of success with the under-15 and under-17 sides in recent years.
Curra's under-17 team finished 2008 undefeated and stormed to a 63-point thrashing of arch rivals Hermit Park in the grand final.
With up to eight players from that team set to make the jump into the senior team next year, Curra president Scott Beynon said Faulds' promotion was logical.
Faulds will take on a new-look squad, with many players from the 2008 team that finished fourth – including long-time playing coach Corey Hewitt – moving on.
He said he planned to start with a clean slate.
"We want to be more than competitive next year – it's a whole new start," Faulds said.
"A lot of players have departed, so it's a rebuilding year, but there is a lot of positivity around the club ... it's pretty settled, with good people on board."
It has been 10 seasons between AFL Townsville premierships for the Swans, with their last taste of success being
three consecutive flags between 1996 and '98.
While Faulds isn't starting to talk up Curra's premiership chances yet, with so many junior players making the step up, he did hope their success might become contagious.
"There's definitely some good young talent there and we'll be definitely looking to play them in the seniors more than the reserves competition," he said.
"Some of them played a couple of games last year, they'll definitely be up for it."
Liam Gorden, Adam McDonald, Joel Sim and Max Tink are four of the players Faulds expects to make the step up and potentially make an impact on the league.
But as well as having plenty of new blood, the Swans will welcome a few blasts from the past that could help their planned resurgence.
Peter Pyle, coach of the premiership-winning '97 and '98 teams, and Simon Johnson, who played in Curra's hat-trick of crowns, will return to take on assistant coaching roles.
Lindsay Gordon also comes on board as the Swans' new manager.
Official pre-season training begins on January 6.
But, proving the club's mission to re-emerge alongside perennial powerhouses Hermit Park, University and Thuringowa is serious, the team has been training since October.
Off the field, the Swans will have a new clubhouse built at their home base at Muldoon Oval, while light towers are also set to be installed.