New Lambton head of football Chris Brain believes his club will be more than competitive in the NPL next season without "breaking the bank" to improve their roster.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Golden Eagles celebrated their third consecutive premiership in the second-tier Northern League One on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Cessnock to finish eight points clear of Belmont-Swansea. Their promotion to the NPL, however, was already assured after an announcement from Northern NSW Football on July 28.
Brain was confident the squad built under coach Tom Davies could compete in the NNSW top tier in 2023 but the club were looking to add "experience and legs in key positions".
"We know we need to have depth," Brain said.
"We can compete, and we've shown that in the Australia Cup games [both 2-1 losses] against Edgeworth last year and Cooks Hill this year.
"We can compete game by game, but it's just about the length of the season and ensuring we've got the depth there to cover it.
"The key for us will be bringing in a couple of strategic players. There's a few we have in mind, but our focus is on ensuring we have a home for the nursery of players we have coming through.
"We an under-18s team that have lost one game in two years, including against NPL teams in trials. New Lambton have always had a strong junior base and we want to give those players an opportunity."
He said there were more than 20 New Lambton juniors at other NPL clubs.
IN THE NEWS:
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
