The coaching staff has been appointed and the team management is in place. It is the strongest possible team. Now the goal is to BUILD THE BEST POSSIBLE SQUAD to represent the stafe.

I've already had the chance to talk to quite a few players about Wolfpack and the message is simple. We want to select the best football players available. We'll be choosing players ready and able to contribute at Nationals level. No jersey wearers, no development players, no guys who shouldn't be there. We're looking at everyone from veterans to rookies. Selection will be on merit, not reputation. The goal is to select, train and play the best.

Already a lot of scouting has taken place, both live and on film. The best way to put yourself in the frame is to play well for your club. Wolfpack activities will commence after the season ends.

The first stage will be physical testing. This will be used as an additional tool to assess players. You can get details of this by going to the NSW Gridiron web site and emailing. Include your details of team, number and position.

The selection process is being finalised and I'll update your on that soon. Keep an eye on this thread and the Gridiron NSW site.

Play hard and Go Wolfpack.

Coach

The dates have not been determined, but late March / early April 2010 is being spoken about. You'll know as soon as I know. One thing you should do now, though, is START SAVING. A ballpark figure you should aim at is $1200.

The testing schedule is available and has already been sent to over 50 players. Access it through email at the league website.

I also want to remind you of who is on the Wolfpack coaching staff. These are guys to talk to about Wolfpack. If you can't catch them, then email through the league website. The coaches are:

ROCCO BOSCO at UTS

STEPHEN DUNNE &  RYAN WONSER at Lions

JOHN PONGRAC & IAN TAYLOR at Pirates

PHIL NILON at Outlaws

CHRISTIAN STOKES at Raiders

MIRO WILLIAMS - on roving assignment.

Also, just to say I've appreciated the level of enthusiasm and interest by players in speaking and contacting them about Wolfpack. It's really a good sign for building the best team possible for 2010 Nationals.

Coach D

One more thing: I want to welcome Jason Gaffey into the Wolfpack coaching staff as Defensive Assistant / Quality Control. Jason has become available to join the staff and brings a wealth of football and Wolfpack experience to the role. He also has recently enjoyed a successful stint as Australian Outback Head Coach on the recent European tour. I'm excited to have the chance to work with Jason in the months ahead.

Go PACK!

Stuart Etcell - Outlaws

Andreas Lundin & Kieran Deale - Lions

Gabriel Marambio - UTS

Peter Upham - Seahawks

Todd Russell & Jared Delandro - Pirates

Wolfpack appreciates these players helping out.

Play hard. Lift hard.

Coach D

There will be a more detailed note posted on the Gridiron NSW website soon, but here is a quick note on selection for Wolfpack.

A lot of scouting has taken place and candidates have been chosen for Wolfpack based on this season's form. There will be two lists:

A 60 man list of 'A' candidates - these are players that the coaches feel are ready for Wolfpack and capable of making the travelling squad and contributing at the Nationals.

At the same time a second list of 30 'B' players will be announced. This list consists of players who haven't scouted as 'A' candidates but who we want to trial... who maybe haven't shown their best so far in 2009... who don't fit the schemes as well as others.

At the end of January TESTING will take place, then two days of TRIALS of A and B candidates.

After these trials a 60 man TRAIN ON SQUAD will be announced, This will be the squad we take into training, with squad cuts about 5 weeks out from the tournament arriving at the final travelling squad of 48 players. While the bulk of the Wolfpack squad will be made up of 'A' candidates, I believe that there will be a number of 'B' candidates who will put themselves in the frame through their workrate, effort and demonstration of the one thing that we'll be regarding most of all: their football talent.

Candidates should be informed in the next week or so. On this note I also want to stress that contrary to some other suggestions: no player has been told that he is on the squad at this time. Players have only been told that they are being looked at for Wolfpack.

These procedures aim at two things:

1) to make sure that we don't miss a player in our assessments, and

2) to get the BEST SQUAD POSSIBLE TO REPRESENT NSW

Coach D

We'll have a break after the season and convene for TESTING on the January long weekend... probably on the SATURDAY not the Sunday as listed.

In the meantime - enjoy the playoffs.

Coach D