WANGI Warriors have received a boost on the eve of the rugby league season with news Wangi Workers Club is back on board as the football club's major sponsor.
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The Warriors returned to senior rugby league in the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby League's southern conference in 2018.
The men's team finished seventh, while the Ladies League Tag (B Grade) team was third.
Club president Luke James said 2018 was about rebuilding from the ground up.
"There was a lot of hard work involved for our committee last year," he said.
The club was looking forward to a stronger showing all round in 2019, he said.
"Both of our teams are consistently getting good numbers at training, and I think we're shaping up to be competitive this season," he said.
The men's team will again be coached by Nathan Laing, with Allan Williams as his assistant.
The women's team will be captain-coached by Tirikawa Ririnui.
Mr James said the Warriors had the backing of a range of local sponsors, with Wangi Workers Club and A.R.T. Constructions the major contributors.
"Their support is a huge boost to the club. It means we can pay for things such as registrations, oval fees, insurances and strapping, and we can order stock for the canteen."
Mr James said the Workers Club's support also extended to providing a venue for the footballers and their supporters to meet and socialise after training and matches.
"They allow us to run our raffles and host our fundraisers here which has really helped to bring us together as a family club, which is what we're building on," he said.
Wangi Workers Club chief executive officer Phil Ticehurst said the club had always had a focus on supporting local junior and senior sporting clubs - including those involved in netball, soccer and AFL.
"But there is nothing bigger in this community that the Wangi Warriors," Mr Ticehurst said.
"This club is owned by the community and is run for the community, so we always try to look after those in our backyard."
The Warriors have trial matches scheduled at Wangi Oval this Saturday and next Saturday, March 2 and 9.
The club trains at Wangi Oval from 6.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"Anyone interested in having a run with us is welcome to come down and join us," Mr James said.
The Warriors had already been buoyed by the graduation of some of its former junior players into the senior team for 2019, and the return of personnel who had been playing elsewhere prior to the club's revival in 2018, he said.
- Search 'Wangi Warriors Senior RLFC' on Facebook for more information.
