GNFL round 6 preview: Northampton off to flying start after early test as they face a grand final rematch

The reigning Great Northern Football League premiers Northampton have started their 2024 campaign solidly and look up to the test in a grand final rematch against Railways on Saturday. Normally a side that is chasing the top, the Rams are now the team with a target on their back and currently sit second on the ladder. Club president Damian Harris said it’s been a positive start to the season with the boys getting into gear early. “Very positive, as the same with a few others, it’s always a revolving door with ins and outs and injuries, work and family commitments with players,” he said. “The boys had to wake up a bit that they were being chased, and that’s not a bad thing at all.” Their year was off to a solid start with a win in the opening round to Railways, but they were stunned at home by Brigades in round three, going down by seven points. Despite the early loss at home, the side remains optimistic with it being more of a wake-up call for the reigning champs. “Bit of a reality check, we did have eight out of our original team,” Harris said. “Few coldies, but that’s pretty normal, that’s just what’s going to happen.” The side has retained the majority of their grand final winning side from last year. Losing Beau Walker to Towns hurt but they have enjoyed the addition of Dylan Ralph. The former Hawk has quickly become one of the side’s most valuable, being among the team’s best players in every showing so far. Injuries and outs have also allowed for the club’s younger talent to see league action early in the season. “Yeah (Ralph) is going really well, so that’s good,” Harris said. “The young guys that missed out on a gig last year through injury are coming back and stepping up to the plate so that’s good.” After appearing in just one game during the home and away season last year, Josh Kennedy has suited up for the Rams twice already, kicking six goals. Playing alongside Harry Taylor, Harris said that it has been great to have them around the club, although he wished they could be treated better on field. “JK and Harry, look they’re just awesome, they do cop a fair bit of unwanted attention,” he said. “Probably a bit of a negative that it seems to be a full-back can hang all over them and that’s alright because they are JK and Harry. “It seems to be they get a fair bit of unwanted attention, in the AFL they would get a lot more kicks, but they’re not worried about it. “They’re quite happy going forward and just playing the game of footy.” The Rams face Railways in a 2023 grand final rematch on the weekend at home. Harris said the team remained confident with their pre-season expectations despite early hurdles. “Obviously we haven’t played all teams yet and the conditions have been pretty tough on all sides . . . all sides have been caught in the bloody heat, it’s not been easy,” he said. Across the rest of the league, a battle between new-look and improved sides has Chapman Valley hosting Towns at Mazzuchelli Oval. It will be the first time the sides meet under new player-coaches with the Jayden Schofield-led Royals, that sit top of the table, up against the Bulldogs. Brigades will travel to Greenough Oval and take on a Rovers side that are still chasing their first win of the season.