Not short on experience, not short on dedication and definitely not short on the knowledge of the game of Rugby League, Steve (Shorty) Shorten has been appointed the Coach of the Canowindra Tigers Rugby League side for 2008.

Steve has been very busy during the off season, approaching players, committee members and is pleased to announce that former coach Andrew Pull (Pully) will pull on the boots for one more year and along with George Delaney, Doug Rice and Ken Willson will form members of his coaching staff.

Steve is very keen to implement structures and tactics to enable the Tigers to build on last seasons achievements.

As mentioned, Steve has a wealth of experience: he played under coaches such as Roy Masters and Brian (Chicka) Moore.

He played for clubs in Tamworth, Newcastle and Townsville.

Steve’s hooking ability saw him trial with South Sydney, but being young and bullet proof, he didn’t do the little extras and as reported by the Daily Telegraph in 1980 by Phil Rothfield: “South’s last night ‘cut’ Hilton Barnett, Steve Shorten and Greg Guilder from their import list and released Don Prior as they prepared for the premiership season.”

Steve went on to Captain Coach the first Army side to win in the competition against the Air Force side at Butterworth Air Base in Maylasia.

Shorten relocated to Melbourne, coaching various teams and was a member of the Victorian State Team.

He then went on to Captain Coach the Victorian side on a number of occasions.

Steve has asked all intending players to commence pre-season training by joining Matt Rice’s Sunday fitness circuit 10.30am at the Swimming Pool every Sunday.

Please accept this as an invitation to join in and become a member of the club.

Last Sunday Andrew Pull, Rusty and Pat Kennedy, Craig Carpenter, Shaun Craven, James Mulligan, Sam O’Malveney, Dave Sargent, Doug Rice and Coach Steve Shorten joined the Sunday squad.