Rebels and Wallaroos forward Tiarah Minns believes the club are taking plenty of confidence out of last year as they look to create a legacy in Melbourne.
After a slow start to the season, the Rebels finished last year with a narrow loss to the Reds before a 79th-minute penalty denied them their first victory over the Brumbies in Super W.
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They enter 2022 with a more settled squad, with 26 of their 37-player squad returning from last year’s campaign.
This has allowed the Rebels to build on combinations from last season, relishing the opportunity for a comprehensive pre-season after trials against the Brumbies and Central West.
“I think it’s really exciting,” she told Rugby.com.au. "For me, being involved with the squad for a couple of seasons now, it’s exciting to see where we’ve built on heading into this year, in particular from last year.
“I think one big thing from last year is we’ve had so much retention which is awesome because we can then work on those combinations and get those right and build on them with more girls coming through.
"Last year we found we just lacking those trials so getting those trials this season has been awesome. As we can see from results last season, we were a lot more competitive (as the season went on) which is exciting but one focus going into this year was converting those opportunities.
“We were so close in those games, really competitive but we weren’t quite getting over the line and converting (those opportunities).
“Last season was a massive confidence boost for not only the squad but amongst the competition to show the Rebels are competitive and are here to compete. That was really exciting to see last year and gives us a massive confidence boost heading into this year.”
Minns has the goal of representing the Wallaroos firmly in site, with a stacked calendar set to culminate with October's World Cup in New Zealand.
However, before this, the forward is looking to leave for mark in Melbourne in what is a historic year for the Rebels.
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The Melbourne-based club will open their campaign against Fijiana Drua on Saturday March 5, with Minns knowing there will be extra pressure on them to perform.
“All the girls are exciting to perform, there’s a bit more pressure to impress in Super W,” she added.
“You want to perform, you want to compete for those 23 spots with obviously that goal of a World Cup at the end of the year.
“I think everything that’s happened this year has been exciting and for me, it’s super important with making history through the payments and in turn with that, there’s an added pressure, excitement and belief in the girls.
“Knowing the Rebels are behind us, it’s about creating legacy…feeling like one club, that’s been such an emphasis on its one family this year, we’re all training at the same places so that’s exciting."
