The Canungra Owls senior men’s side has made an impressive start to the season, opening with three consecutive wins as they look to build momentum early in the campaign.
Senior men’s coach Jeremy Mansfield, who also takes the field as a player, said the strong results had been encouraging, but the focus remained on performance rather than the scoreboard.
“It’s been good, but at the moment results aren’t my biggest goal,” Mansfield said.
“We’re playing well and finding a rhythm, and the results are coming from that, which seems to be working in tandem at the moment.”
The Owls have maintained a consistent core playing group in recent seasons, with only a handful of new players joining the squad each year.
Mansfield said the team had adapted quickly despite the natural changes that come with new additions.
“It’s pretty consistent year to year. We’ve got the odd three or four new guys each year, but we’re adapting pretty quickly,” he said.
A key improvement this season has been the shared responsibility across the playing group, with Mansfield noting a stronger collective approach both on and off the field.
“It’s not really just a team of players anymore, it’s a team in itself. Everyone wants to help out in all the ways they can and grow the whole team,” he said.
While the Owls have enjoyed a perfect start, Mansfield emphasised the importance of consistency across the season.
“You can’t go undefeated, so playing every game at the same level is really the biggest result you can ask for,” he said.
Beyond results, Mansfield highlighted the club’s growing presence within the local community, pointing to an increase in junior participation and coaching support.
“We’ve seen huge growth, not just in junior teams but in the number of new coaches as well,” he said.
Meanwhile, the senior women’s side has also shown promise in the opening month, recording one win, one draw and one loss.
Mansfield said while the men’s and women’s teams train separately due to differing needs, there remains a strong connection between the squads.
“It’s always good to get our teams together and share ideas where we can,” he said.
“My brother Cameron is the women’s coach so we do get on the phone a lot and have some conversations about game plans.”
Looking ahead, Mansfield said finals football remained a goal for the men’s side, having reached the post-season consistently in recent years.
“It would be nice to finally win one, but if we can play consistently and grow as a team, I’m pretty happy with that,” he said.
