After retaining the spot in the Northern NSW State League, the Weston Workers Bears have begun their recruitment for next season.
The club began trials for its State league under-18s team on Monday at Thomas & Coffey Park.
Bears’ football manager Shane Johnson said an outstanding roll up for the first trial looked set to leave the selection panel with a headache.
“We had about 45 guys turn up on Monday night, it was just a fantastic turn out,” he said.
“There was some great talent there, it’s going to make things very difficult for selectors.”
There are two more chances for the Hunter’s under-18 talent to shoot for a spot in Bears camp for 2009.
“Anyone who did not make it on Monday, we won’t stop them coming along to the other sessions,” Johnson said.
The Bears’ under-18s team welcomes Michael Davies back to the club as its coach for the next season.
Davies boasted a lengthy a stint with English clubs Chelsea and Aston Villa in his teen years before moving to Australia in 1969 and eventually to the Bears in 1972.
Davies has been involved with football in the Hunter since then, playing for Maitland, assistant coaching Lake Macquarie in 1984-84 and player-coaching Edgeworth after that.
For the last four years Davies has coached the Maitland Magpies juniors.