Treble in sight of PBC
History says QAFL premiership trebles only come along every few decades but Palm Beach Currumbin Lions have a funny feeling this might be their chance to break new ground, as Tom Boswell reports
IT’S been 20 years since a team won three straight QAFL premierships and Palm Beach Currumbin captain Stephen Thynne says his side are poised to achieve the feat.
Palm Beach Currumbin won back-to-back flags in 2017 and 2018, something that has happened five times since Southport’s triple between 1997 and 2000.
Retirements, player movement and injury can derail any team’s quest to win a premiership and it only gets harder to stay at the top each year.
Lions captain Thynne said he believed his team could do what few others have.
“We have a group who are so competitive and hungry to improve, we really want to do it,” Thynne said.
“We are quite hard on each other and it brings out the best in each player.
“We have a good mix of senior heads and young kids who are improving every day.”
Thynne believed the way the club constructed their senior list before their premiership run began had ensured longterm success with many topline players still relatively young.
“It comes back to the culture we have been building for a few years,” Thynne said.
“People come to the club and they want to stay. We have been lucky enough to attract some good footy players and good blokes.”
Thynne said the playing group had responded well to new coach Jess Sinclair, who has replaced Chad Owens.
“The group is looking really strong,” Thynne said.
“With Chad leaving and Jess coming in we have a new face with a couple of new ideas.
“The boys have been training really well and we’re ready to get into the season.
“Both Jess and Chad are quite relaxed guys. Jess has been asking us where we are at and what want to do while tweaking one or two things.
“He has come in with a couple of game plans but he has put a lot of responsibility on us.”
The whole competition is trying to knock Palm Beach Currumbin off the top and Thynne said the Lions still needed to improve.
“We have been focusing on our run and carry. We have always been quite good at winning the contested footy so we won’t shy away from that,” Thynne said.