As a pre-season trial match, the Suns will play at the Sports UNE Consett Davis fields to take on teams such as Cardiff, Coffs Harbour and Armidale for the Tablelands Cup.

Moree Suns president, David MacLellan, said the club had come a long way since its inception in January.

“The committee has worked exceptionally hard and have done so much in the two months of being formed. We have jumpers, goal posts ordered, our ground hire paid for, along with our league affiliation. It’s been quite an expensive start ranging from $15,000-$20,000,” he said.

But just like their hard work being put into starting the club, the committee and players are looking forward to putting in the hard yards on Saturday.

The Suns will play 17-minute halves and will first kick-off at 11.40am against Coffs Harbour.

Moree will then meet with Armidale at 1.30pm before finishing the day at 3.10pm against Cardiff.

If the Suns win all, or most, of their games, they will progress into the grand final at 4.10pm.

“James Mulligan, who is originally from Moree, has been training with the Moree Suns. He used to play for the Western Bulldogs and to have someone from the highest level training with the Suns has been great. His focus has been on skills and drills to help the guys get a better understanding of the game,” MacLellan said.

The Moree Suns, being a new club, have around six players who’ve never played AFL before.

“When we first started around a quarter of the guys didn’t know the rules so it has been an interesting process, but everyone is learning and improving,” he said.

The weekend’s games will prepare the Suns for their first official game of the season on April 11 in Moree.

“We will be playing in the Tamworth competition against two Tamworth teams, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Inverell and Armidale. We have secured the ground of Taylor Oval and our eight goal posts will be cemented in but we will still be training at Ron Harborne Oval because of lighting. Taylor Oval has a massive history of rugby league and cricket and now it will be AFL and the Moree Suns,” he said.

The Suns’ first game may be the toughest of the season, according to MacLellan.

“The Inverell Saints have made the last seven grand finals so it is going to be a difficult first test but we have enormous support from Narrabri who have the bye but have decided to travel to Moree to watch, and Goondiwindi are doing the same even though they’re in a completely different AFL competition,” he said.

MacLellan said although the Suns had “no trouble” fielding a side, he acknowledged it would be a long season.

“We would like some more players to join the club. There is a possibility of injury and personal commitments throughout the season so the more we have the better. People interested can come to our training nights at 6pm on Tuesday and Thursday at Ron Harborne Oval,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tina Macey has taken on the task of recruiting juniors and so far has had a good response.

Boys aged from five to seven years and girls from five to 16 years are encouraged to attend training, with a parent or guardian, if they would like to join the junior competition. 

“It’s crazy. I did not think we would be taking on juniors in our first year as a club be we already have a few that come to training and are eager to play,” he said.