Hornets Men Hit the Big Time

In a major development at Hills Hornets Touch Football, the 2018 Division 1 Men’s team has been promoted into Men’s Premier League for the 2019 Vawdon Cup.

This is the first time in the clubs 30 year history that a Men’s Hornets team will be competing in a Premier League division,

They join the Hornets Women’s Premier League team who had their inaugural Premier league season in 2018.

As with the women’s team, the promotion has come a little earlier than expected for the Hills Hornet’s Number 1 Men’s team, but it is recognition of their growth as a team under the expertise of Head Coach Brad Curl.

Having teams in both Men’s and Women’s Premier League is the reward for many years of work to rebuild the club that was on the brink of collapse just over 10 years ago.

And to top off this historic moment in the clubs history, the man who has been the driving force behind the Hornets rebuild, Brad Mitchell, has not only been named in the first ever Premier League team, he also has the word “Captain” alongside his name.

The team has been training the house down under the guidance of Coach Curl and new coaching director Dave Nolan, whose experience at the elite level has been invaluable as the team prepares for what will be a tough season.

The team is under no illusions of what the season has in store for them.  They will be playing in the pinnacle touch football division for Men in NSW, against teams with Australian, NSW and NRL Touch Premiership representatives.

Hornets News caught up with head coach Brad Curl, and asked him about the promotion.

“We had a plan that started 5 years ago to enter Premier League in 2020.  At the start of last season, 2020 was still the plan.  But we watched our Women’s team over achieve in their first year of premier league, and they inspired us to push for promotion into the top division a year earlier”

So what was the reaction of the team to being promoted?

“When we got the news, the team was excited. We have a fantastic leadership group with players who have played for Australia.  They have driven the squad to train hard and with the intensity required for us to compete with the heavyweights”

So what is expected in terms of results this year?

“It will be really tough.  We are entering a division with a number of well established teams who have been playing at this level for a number of years.”

“We will just focus on our own individual skill development, while staying tight and playing tough.  The primary goal this season is simply to be a better team at the end, than what we are at the start.”

Hornets news also caught up with Hills Hornets President and Premier League Captain Brad Mitchell.

“When we relaunched as Hills Hornets 11 years ago, we were a club with a park comp of 7 teams and 1 rep team, having a premier league team was something we hoped we could achieve one day.  We now have 2 premier league teams, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

“It is a great achievement for our club that every Hornets member can share.”

The Hills Hornets Men’s Premier League Team play their inaugural game on Friday 23rd of August 8.40PM, at Doyle Ground, North Parramatta.