MAITLAND PICKERS
- Coach: Matt Lantry
- 2023 finish: 1st
- Wins: 15
- Losses: 1
- Draws: 0
Summary: What can you say about Matt Lantry and his boys that hasn’t already been said? Maitland almost registered the perfect season… in the entire state. Only a loss to Cessnock (20-12) dented that statistic. The Pickers not only defended their Denton Engineering Cup but they backed it up to lift the NSW President’s Cup again. Even when the side wasn’t at its best, the players still found a way to win, which is credit to their commitment to each other.
Five-eighth Chad O’Donnell and halfback Brock Lamb claimed most of the individual plaudits, however it’s unfair to single out just the two of them. There’s not a weak link in the Maitland line-up. Their forwards are among the best in the game, while their backs cause more than a handful of headaches every match. That was highlighted in the grand final when the Pickers produced a flawless first half against South Newcastle. Not much is expected to change in 2024.
For more sports stories:
- REAL NRL SEASON REVIEW: Lions soak up a year of success
- REAL NRL SEASON REVIEW: Goannas made their presence felt in 2023
- REAL NRL SEASON REVIEW: Good start saw Roos leap above the pack
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