Phillip Ingram, who has expressed having "unfinished business" with the Cowra Magpies, has been confirmed as the Senior Men’s team coach for the 2025 Woodbridge Cup Season.
Ingram, determined to lead the team to a strong season, reflected on the challenges of the previous season and shared his vision for the future.
The Magpies’ last season saw its fair share of struggles despite the initial winning streak, with Ingram acknowledging the fierce competition and the unfortunate timing of season-ending injuries that impacted the team's performance.
Ingram stated, "we knew it was going to be tough, just a matter of us trying to stay healthy in that, and we did that most of the last season, but at the end of the year, we were hit with some season-end injuries which had slowed us up a bit".
Discipline was another key issue for the Magpies.
The team frequently found themselves on the receiving end of penalties, a situation Ingram believes they must address.
"In some games, we seemed to be getting penalised a lot,” he said.
“We were working hard in our defense," he said.
He emphasised the need for the team to stay composed in difficult moments, saying, "our discipline needs to be better at times when we feel like things aren’t going our way”.
“We just need to buckle down and try and grind it out instead of spitting the dummy at times and getting a bit upset with some of the calls."
As the team prepares for the upcoming season, Ingram highlighted some key changes to the lineup.
Players like Thomas Rose, Chris Wilson, and Jack Harper, who played critical roles last year, will not be returning.
However, new players and those recovering from injuries will step in to fill these gaps.
Ingram remains optimistic about building a strong squad for 2025, emphasising the importance of depth.
“You can't just have 20 players, or 18 players.,” he said.
“You need a larger squad to get on top of these injuries and suspensions or anything that happens through the season really helps a long way."
Training for the new season is hoping to begin in late November or early December, with a strong focus on maintaining fitness, improving discipline, and coming out strong in the early games.
Ingram expressed confidence in the squad's potential, saying, “we’ll be back again, and we will have a strong squad, because that's what you need”.
Looking ahead to 2025, Ingram and the Cowra Magpies are eager to make their mark in the Woodbridge Cup again, with a clear goal to avoid the setbacks of the past and grind out a winning season.
"We got hit with injuries at the wrong end," Ingram said.
"At the end of the season, and that’s where the other teams got their opportunities."
With a solid foundation in place and the lessons from last year driving them forward, the Cowra Magpies are ready to take on the Woodbridge Cup competition next season.