As we bid adieu to another rollercoaster of a season at our beloved Happy Valley Field 6, or HV6 as we lovingly call it, it’s time to reflect on the highs, the lows, and everything in between that made this year what it was. So buckle up, because here’s our end-of-year review, sprinkled with a generous dose of Valley courage and passion!

Preseason Pioneers:
Let’s kick things off with a round of applause for the preseason program. To Sam Hocking, Frankie Werahiko, Scotty Davidson, and the rest of the management squad for keeping the ship afloat until I arrived in late August. Thank you!

Soft Landing Specialists:
A special mention of gratitude goes to Samantha, Bella, and Trey for providing me with the softest of landings. You guys are the real MVPs!

Injury Woes and Heroic Replacements:
Losing Laurence May (ankle) and Luke Van Der Smit (Hamstring) to the injury bug was a tough blow, but thanks to the superhero-like efforts of replacements like Christian Stenhouse, we managed to keep the ship moving forward.

From Zero to Hero:
Our season got off to a slow start with four losses, but like the resilient bunch we are, we bounced back with a vengeance. That came in the form of our first win against the Tigers and a win over the top of the table Sandy Bay at the time 29-10. And let’s not forget the cherry on top – that glorious win against Kowloon just in time for Christmas. Talk about ending the year on a high note!

Old Guard Returns:
A special mention to a few players who returned from the old guard to stiffen up the roster. Your wisdom and experience was invaluable.

Leadership Legends:
Hats off to our leadership group for communication and organizing the likes of attending the Everest Challenge, Junk outings, Cycle tours, and showing unwavering support for the Premiership Women’s finals day. You guys rock!

Captaincy Champions:
A heartfelt thank you to Sion Bennett and Nyasha Tarusenga ( due to Sion being injured) for sharing the captaincy duties with grace and excellence.

Debut Delights:
Congratulations to our debutants for 2023/24 – Alistair Stacey, Justin Beese, Zinzan Hansen, Christian Stenhouse, Huw Alexander, Viliame Naival, Dylan Schoeman, Toby Jurecka, Chris Lai, Ettore Perri, and Tyler Guinea. You guys made quite the entrance!

Milestone Moments:
Big shoutout to Nyasha Tarusenga, Rory Young, and Rob Lennox for reaching the 50-game milestone. Here’s to many more epic matches ahead!

Embracing Change:
Thank you to everyone for embracing our new game plan and adjusting to some of the new systems. Adaptability is key and being able to adjust as the game requires of you is key.

Valley Values:
Let’s never forget why we play and how we play – with our mates by our side. Here’s to continuing to embody the Valley Way – with physicality, courage, and a dash of flair that keeps our fans on the edge of their seats!

Looking Ahead:
While this season had its ups and downs, we’re already setting our sights on 2024/25 as our year to shine. Watch out, world – Valley is coming for you!

Room for Improvement:
#ValleyU’s, we hear you loud and clear. Let’s roll up our sleeves and work on being the best versions of ourselves both on and off the field. And remember, #V4L – Valley 4 life!

Community Matters:
Our continuing thoughts and prayers are with Ally & Simone Maclay, and their daughter Freya. Your Valley family is here for you, always.

Celebrating Champions:
A huge congratulations to Kevin West and the Premiership women for clinching the championship title for the 2023/24 season. Let’s hear it for the ladies!

Cheers to All:
To the Knights, Mav's, Maijai men's teams – keep up the fantastic work, lads! Together, we’re unstoppable.

By the Numbers:
With 16 games played, 7 wins, and 9 losses, we’ve certainly kept things interesting. Special shoutouts to Nyasha Tarusenga and Alistair Stacey for their impressive game count playing in every game this season

Stat Stars:
Luke Van Der Smit takes the crown for top tries, while Christian Stenhouse racks up an impressive 105 points. Not too shabby, lads!

On Attack and Defensive:
With an average of 22.2 points for and 17.6 points against, we’ve shown our ability and commitment on both sides of the ball.

As we wrap up this year’s season off and on the field, let’s raise a glass to the memories made, the lessons learned, and the friendships forged. Here’s to Valley and the 50th year celebrations just around the corner.

Yours in rugby,

Gus Leger