Enthusiasm will help offset loss of experience, says new coach

New premier coach Clayton McMillan says the enthusiasm of the club's new young players will help offset the loss of experience in what will be a long season.

As the team prepares to open their 2011 season with a match against Wests at Trentham Memorial Park on 26 March, Clayton says he's "pretty happy" with where things are at.

"There's still a lot of work to be done, and it's a long campaign in the sense of managing players and testing the club's depth, particularly as we lose players to the ITM Cup," he says.

Although the club has lost several experienced players from last year, a raft of exciting newcomers will be joining up with MSP's homegrown talent (see below).

Apart from Nick Passi, Jamie Parkinson, Anthony Bradshaw, Joe Wright, John Paul Tocker and Apoua Stewart, it's a very young side, says Clayton. The younger players will need to bring all their enthusiasm to compensate and to make their own mark on the club.

"There's some good new players and they'll be around for a long time. It will be up to them to create their own legacy."

In pre-season games, Clayton has sought to absorb the MSP culture and get to know his own players rather than study the opposition. He's finding it "a great challenge" as a first-time coach at MSP: "I'm working hard to make sure everyone is happy - I'm certainly happy."

He and his young family have settled well into Wellington, he says. "Everyone associated with the club has been very helpful. They've made me feel more than welcome."

On the playing front, first-five Fa'atonu Fili will play just one or two games before departing for Japan. Senior 1 player-of-the-year Ben Nansett badly fractured a thumb in the final pre-season game and will be out for at least a month. The full player round-up is:

Player losses

Ged Robinson - Melbourne Rebels

Chris Slade - Melbourne Rebels squad

Wim Baars - playing in England

Peter Sciascia - playing in Northern Ireland

Julian Tupai - playing in England

Arden David - playing in England

Tajohn Mailata - playing in Perth

Player gains

Jesse Acton -  No 8 from Rotorua

Michael Walding - mid-fielder from Dunedin

Donald Brighouse - ex-St Pats College 1st XV, and Hurricanes under-18 2010

Hamish Shaw - flanker from Christchurch

Joe Bradley - halfback from Dunedin

Finauga Egi - lock from Christchurch

Tevita Ah Wong - No 6, transferred from Johnsonville

Sean Cockburn - prop, returned from playing in Scotland

Ryan Kuggeleign - flanker, returned from travelling overseas

Isaac O'Connor - flanker, back from injury

Trent Vatselias - winger, from Rotorua

This latter group will join last year's premier and senior 1 players including Jamie Parkinson, Anelo Kapeli (promoted from colts), Jeff Allen, Solomona Sakalia, Liu Taituave, Kiki Stowers, Nick Passi (captain), Charlie Graham, Sio Tuia, Valentine Meachen, Anthony Bradshaw, Joe Wright, John Paul Tocker, Isaia Petelo, Ryan Setefano, Paul Tuia and Apoua Stewart.

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