NOT mincing words, Tumbarumba captain-coach Simon Vanzanten has declared the Greens newest signing a better player than country champion Grant Wooden.
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Firing expectations of a Group Nine revival for Tumbarumba next year, Vanzanten yesterday unveiled decorated prop Aaron Sweeney as the king-pin of three important recruits.
“I’ve been told he’s (Sweeney) the next step (up) from Grant Wooden,” Vanzanten enthused yesterday.
“People say he terrorises in the NSW Cup and my connections in the Queensland Cup say he’s a freak too.”
At 28, Sweeney will head to Tumbarumba with a fabulous rugby league resume, including being a two-timer winner of the Alan Langer Medal (2007-08) as the best player in the Queensland Cup.
Fresh from playing for Western Suburbs in the NSW Cup for the past two seasons, Sweeney was hot property in the player market, but Tumbarumba trumped the opposition.
Vanzanten yesterday described the recruitment of Sweeney and two other quality players as “great news”.
“I’m really excited,” he said.
“Things are looking really good.”
In a premiership trough for a decade, Tumbarumba is now emerging as the sleeping giant of 2012 competition.
Complementing the acquisition of Sweeney, the Greens have also recruited Kiwi strongman Douglas Rewi and highly-regarded Luke Smith.
Rewi, 20, has an imposing reputation in rugby union in New Zealand, while Smith played for the Melbourne Storm feeder club in the Newcastle competition this year.
Vanzanten yesterday revealed Cootamundra coach and ex-New Zealand international Mark Elia had been instrumental in Rewi linking with the Greens.
“He’s (Rewi) a raw kid but is supposed to have heaps of ability,” Vanzanten said.
“As for Luke Smith, we’re looking at him to fill the void left by Robbie Byatt going to Canberra.”
With star centre Byatt signing with Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra domestic competition, Smith is viewed as a perfect replacement.
Significantly, Vanzanten says Tumbarumba is not finished in the player market.
“We’re looking at an ex-NRL player and a couple of local identities,” he said.
“That’ll be it for us.”
The fresh talent is in addition to the four Fijian players that gave Tumbarumba a lift this year.
Tumbarumba will start pre-season training at Tumbarumba Sportsground tomorrow, with a Christmas function to follow at Tumbarumba Golf Club.
