New era for Grammar as they start with cup tie

O’Connor leads his Aberdeen men into fresh campaign

A new season brings a new regime, a new captain and new faces at Aberdeen Grammar.

New-look Grammar face their first test tomorrow when they travel to face Stewart’s-Melville FPs in the BT Cup.

Ali O’Connor has been rewarded for keeping the club in National 1 last season by being given the head coach position for the campaign and it is one he believes his club can go into with optimism.

He said: “We’re pleased with how our pre-season preparations have gone. We played three games in a week last week against Mackie Academy FPs, Gordonians and an Army side.

“There were a lot of errors in the first game againstMackie, which is to be expected in the first runout, but we were ruthless against Gordonians.

“We carried that on against the Army side where we played for an hour with only 14 players following an injury to one of our backs.

“I didn’t have a replacement back on the bench andI didn’twanttothrowa forward on to play out of position for the sake of keeping 15 on the field. It turned out to be a great exercise in game management for us, while improving our fitness at the same time.

“We’re looking pretty goodat this stageof theseason and we’re eager to get started.”

O’Connor will lead a backroom staff consisting of strength and conditioning coachMark Cowie, forwards coaches Duncan Massie and Iain Stanger, and skills coach Matty Reid. CallumChapmanwill captain the side.

He has also made additions to the playing staff with lockHarry Bloomfield joining from Aberdeenshire, while winger Matt Arnold, a student at Aberdeen University, and English prop Rob Ellinson, who has arrived in the city due to work, has also joined the squad.

They replace AdyHamilton, who has moved to Glasgow, Alex Hagart who has moved to Edinburgh and will play for Heriot’s, Stuart Smith and Tony McGinness.

O’Connor said: “Callum Chapman will be our captain with Grant Walker assisting him. Alex Ratcliffe will help out, too, as we want to spread the leadership through the team.”

He said of tomorrow’sBT Cup game: “Stewart’sMelville had a similar season to us last year in National 1 but I hear they have lost between 10 to 15 players in the close season, so we don’t really know what to expect from them.

“I’m sure they will be competitive but this is our firstgameof the seasonand it is a chance for us to lay down amarker for the new campaign.”

“We’re looking pretty good at this stage and we’re eager to get started”