Rams ready to charge into season

There’s a real buzz in the air at Anniversary Park — another summer has come to a close and a tough but productive pre-season will soon wrap up and open the door to a new season of football.

As the Rockingham Rams put the final touches on their preparations for the season ahead, the Telegraph caught up with the club’s league coach Scott Franklin ahead of what promises to be another exciting year in the Peel Football League.

In 2017, the Rams improved drastically on a disappointing 2016, finishing just a couple of games outside a finals berth.

Consistency was a sticking point for the young outfit, however, with strong performances often followed by disappointing results.

This time around, Franklin said the goal for the club was to bridge that gap.

“Obviously the aim is to play finals — but for me it’s not all about that,” he said.

“That sometimes doesn’t tell you where your club is at. Last year we’d have a really good win and then we would have a really bad loss — or we would have three really good quarters and a poor fourth quarter.

“We know if we get that consistency it will put us right up there.”

When pressed on recruits for the new season, Franklin was tight-lipped, but indicated there could be something in the pipeline. “We are on a different recruiting plan than others,” he said.

“We’re recruiting for the future, hoping to get 22 to 23-year-olds to recruit and then get them to stay here for the next five or six years.

“We look like we’ve got two of those, which is really good.”

Off the field, the club has continued to make steady ground.

Car Giant WA has come onboard as a platinum jumper sponsor, with three new sets purchased for the league, reserves and colts teams.

This year, Rodney Glands will oversee the colts, while Damien Mollison will coach the reserves — with the club also seeking Year 5 and Year 7 boys’ players and Year 11 and Year 12 girls.

Before the Rams tackle cross-town rivals Baldivis in round 1 on April 7, the club will face the Warnbro Swans in the Todd Taylor Cup on Saturday.

In addition, the club will also host its 2018 season launch this Friday at Anniversary Park.

A whole-club training session will start at 5.45pm, with food and drink available.