GANMAIN-Grong Grong-Matong coach Sam Martyn has revealed he felt 2021 could be a rebuilding year in his first year at the helm, but was quickly forced to heighten their goals after a blistering start to the season.
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Some mediocre displays and player availability over pre-season had been a fleeting concern for the Lions, but they proved unfounded with the club winning seven of their first eight games before this week's bye.
The only team they've lost to is unbeaten Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes, but they quickly reasserted their flag credentials after that 49-point loss by beating fellow top four sides Wagga Tigers (62 points) and Coolamon (66 points) comfortably.
"Our pre season results were very mixed and we didn't really know the balance of our list at that stage too," Martyn said.
"We've accumulated the pieces over the start of the year, and I'm really pleased with the outcome and where we sit halfway through the season.
"I thought it may have been more of a development year in implementing the game plan and really targeting 2022, but the boys have all really bought in.
"It's mostly local players we've got, we've just added a few bits and pieces and I'm pleasantly surprised by how well we're going. It's been a great start to the year."
Martyn said it took just two games for him to reassess their aspirations.
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"I think it was definitely after the Turvey Park game (87-point win in round two)," Martyn said.
"They were highly touted coming into the season and Zocc (Michael Mazzocchi) is a very good coach.
"The performance we put in place in that game instilled confidence in not just me, but the players that we could do something pretty special here.
"That was probably the moment we had the belief we could go deep into the season."
The Lions have an ideal chance to improve their position further. They have this weekend and next weekend off with competition and club byes, before they take on Narrandera (seventh), Turvey Park (sixth), Collingullie-Glenfield Park (fifth) and Leeton-Whitton (last) the next month.
"The thing to improve on is our mentality now. We'll be the hunted now more than us hunting other teams," Martyn said.
"We need to play consistent football. We start off with four teams in the second half of the table, we have to try and tick those boxes then get ourselves ready for finals.
"Beating Tigers so convincingly gave us more belief we are a good football side, and to do it against Coolamon backed it up even further."
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