“Exciting”: Coach Brennan optimistic about Warilla’s return to first grade competition
Tallon Smith
After sitting out last season, the Warilla-Lake South Gorillas are preparing for a triumphant return to the Group 7 First Grade competition in 2026.
Leading the club’s charge back into the top grade of South Coast footy is former Dragons Under 20s player and Group 7 premiership winner Kayne Brennan, who returns to his junior club as head coach this year.
Brennan said that while the rebuild over the off-season has had its ups and downs, things are beginning to fall into place ahead of the club’s first game against Kiama at the competition’s Magic Round on April 11.
“It’s exciting, it’s definitely come with its curveballs and some stressful moments already, but going off last week’s training and also as we get closer to the season, it’s starting to build nicely,” he said.
“Early on definitely the hype was there, we ran a couple of training sessions late last year in November and had really good numbers, which was exciting.
“Everyone enjoys their Christmas break, so some have been a bit slow to come back, but last week was a good indication of where we are in terms of squads, which is a positive, so it’s been exciting.”
After winning the First Grade premiership as recently as 2022, the Gorillas encountered a few difficulties, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of their first grade side last season.
With a number of first graders moving to other clubs to remain in the top competition, the club has had to look to build its squad from scratch this year, with a number of locals returning or being promoted from reserve grade, joining a number of new signings in the side.
One of the new signings coach Brennan has been most impressed with is young forward Brooman Page, who joined the club from the Illawarra League’s Thirroul Butchers over the off season.
“Brooman’s been unreal, I’m only new to the coaching realms, but in terms of what a coach is looking for, and I’m also looking at it as if I was playing with the guy, he is unreal,” he said.
“He stays back for extras, he was there on Saturday doing extras, he’s always wanting to learn, and just his attitude towards life, not just football is something that I really like about him, the way he holds himself as a person.”
Another exciting prospect for the club heading into the 2026 season is talented club junior Dreau Clark.
A member of the club’s 2023 Under 18s premiership-winning team, Clark has been identified by multiple NRL clubs as a player to watch, with Brennan happy to welcome him back after a single season stint with Jamberoo last year.
“Dreau’s a local junior, obviously the club didn’t have a first grade last year and he went out to Jamberoo to at least try and play first grade and stay in the realms of playing at a higher level,” he said.
“I remember Dreau from when I was a junior and he was a little ballboy walking around up and down the sideline like a little polar bear with his blonde hair.
“Same thing [as Brooman], he was down there on Saturday doing extras.
“He’s probably a bit unfortunate, he had a knee injury a couple of years ago that might have set him back there in terms of progressing in the system.
“I know Melbourne Storm were looking at him and I’m told that we’ll have a few Roosters scouts down at our games this year to keep an eye on Dreau, because I think he’s still got what it takes to play NRL or at least give it a good crack, so I hope I can bring that out of him.”
Looking to the upcoming season, first up for Warilla in their return campaign is a Magic Round clash with perennial powerhouse Gerringong Lions, a side that coach Brennan knows well after spending half a decade at the club and even featuring in its 2020 Grand Final triumph over Warilla.
When asked about his goals for the season ahead, Brennan said that he will be taking a leaf out of his round one opponents’ books this season, praising Gerringong’s culture as something he wishes to instill in the Gorillas.
“I want it to be an enjoyable year, not just for myself but for the club and for the players that are there,” he said.
“I guess the big thing is culture, I spent a few years down at Gerringong, and not that I’m trying to make Warilla Gerringong, but I really think that they had the blueprint in terms of culture and how a club is run.
“Instilling that culture within Warilla without losing their DNA and just being competitive every week [is my goal], and that starts at training.
“I’ve said that to the boys from the very first day, that all I ask of you is that you compete in every drill, everything we do we compete, and that should help us win a lot of games.”
The 2026 Group 7 season will begin on April 11.