Being named 2022 Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup Player of the Year and winning a Grand Final in his first season with Hills Bulls, it’s hard to fathom how hooker Brad Keighran could better an incredible club debut year.
But the opportunity to secure successive premierships is all the motivation he needs ahead of the 2023 campaign.
“Personally I’d love to get a back-to-back title, it’s a good thing to do in a career... a good memory to look back on,” he told nswrl.com.au at the NSWRL Season Launch on Wednesday.
Although the 27-year-old has played Rugby League long enough to know it’s easier said than done over the next six months, and the Bulls aren’t taking any backwards steps knowing they are the team to beat this time around.
“It’s what we’ve been working on in pre-season (small improvements), trying to keep our shapes again, trying to build on combinations so we can flow straight into this year,” Keighran said.
NSWRL 2023 Season Launch
“We will know after the first couple of rounds what we’ve got to start improving on, so there’s a few things at training we can try to put together. We’ll see how we go.”
A former Blacktown Workers Sea Eagle and Wentworthville Magpie before that, Keighran came to the Hills club to play at dummy-half, which hasn’t always been the preferred position for the ex-half.
Yet in 2022, Keighran not only took on a vital role around the ruck for the eventual Ron Massey Cup champions, but also off the kicking tee – leading him to become the competition’s top point-scorer (141) by season’s end.
Aside from his own goals for 2023, Keighran certainly believes the Bulls have the squad – along with some recent recruits – to get to the big dance again this year.
“Everyone’s pumped, everyone’s chasing that back-to-back goal,” he said.
“There’s a few new faces as well – people excited to come to a new club – and few of the same faces, but everyone’s keen to get back in and try to get that title.”
The Bulls’ Ron Massey Cup defence will begin after their Round One bye, taking on the Saints at St Mary’s Leagues Stadium on Saturday 25 March from 3pm.
