Leeton United to field fresh side for 2023 Pascoe Cup season

Ethan Murphy has stepped into the coaching role this year and said with eight premiership players leaving the team, he's got a fresh side to put on the field.

"We've lost eight players from the grand final winning team, so we're a very different team this year," Murphy said.

"A lot of the off season has been working a few things, seeing who we've got, where they're going to fit, and how everything is going to work really."

Murphy said a fresh side means there is no pressure to perform at a top level from the moment the step on field.

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"The whole club doesn't know how we're going to go," he said.

"We're going to suss out as the year goes on who goes where and what combinations work and that sort of thing."

Despite the club playing a handful of preseason games, Murphy said the final first grade side hasn't had a run together.

Overseas earlier this year, Murphy himself wasn't available to see any of those games.

"It was really early in preseason so we hadn't settled on squads or anything and a few of the boys were missing so that was a bit messy," he said.

"Finding out what's working within ourselves is the main goal at the moment."

Filling the eight open spots from last year is a range of club juniors and reserve players stepping up, and some new faces to the region.

As the season progresses Murphy wants to see his squad gel and play good football.

Murphy said heading into round one the side is still uneasy within itself.

"We haven't had that proper game yet against someone else," he said.

"Even the boys themselves are keen to get out and see where we're at as a team.

"Round one is all we can see at the moment, we haven't even spoken about finals yet, obviously premierships are the goal but we're taking it week by week."

With three home games to start their season, Murphy said he's delighted with the fixture.

He hopes not travelling for the first rounds will help the squad get into playing mentality without the hangups of an early season road trip.

"We don't have to go anywhere, we can continue training, we don't have to travel, and just step on the field at home, which is always nice," Murphy said.

"It's a club day against Tolland too, so all grades, women's, thirds, reserves, and firsts are all playing the same day so it should be a good atmosphere as well."

Leeton's first bye comes in round seven, and Murphy is pleased they'll have a chance to build momentum before the week off.

Looking at their round one game, Murphy said he hopes to be competitive against an improved Tolland.

"By all accounts they've signed lots of players, so they're apparently looking a lot stronger, the talk I'm hearing from Wagga is they plan on pushing top four," he said.

"If they're feeling as strong as they're feeling and we're feeling as we're feeling, and we're competitive, then I'm okay with that.

"It's such an unknown at the minute, they're ready to go, we're ready to go and we won't really know until the end of round one."

Leeton United play Tolland at MIA Sports Field on Sunday in round one of the Pascoe Cup.

Across the fixture Young host Hanwood, Cootamundra host South Wagga, and Lake Albert travel to Tumut while Wagga United have the bye.

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