QUEANBEYAN Tigers reserve grade player of the year Campbell Griggs is hopeful an uninterrupted pre-season training regime will see him pushing for first-grade selection in 2013.
Griggs returned to the Tigers this season after spending the past several years in a playing/coaching role at the Harman Hogs in the lower tier division two competition.
And with a season back at Dairy Farmers Park now under his belt, the 30-year-old said he would be throwing his hat in the ring for a NEAFL call-up next year.
“I’ll be going around again and if I can I’ll be pushing for first-grade,” he said. “If not, I’ll be there with the reserves but I’d still like to be playing first grade.
“That’s the goal so I’ll get stuck back in during pre-season and then we’ll see what I can do next year. I’m a bit older now and I’ve got a wife and a couple of kids so I obviously have to find a balance there.”
Griggs played with Queanbeyan until 2002, twice claiming the club’s reserve grade best and fairest gong in 2000 and 2001.
The midfielder also enjoyed considerable success at Harman, helping to guide the side to grand final glory in 2011.
“Winning a premiership with Harman was my goal and once we’d done that, I thought I’d come back to Queanbeyan and give a harder level of footy another crack,” Griggs said.
“It probably took me three or four weeks to get back into the speed of the game but once I built my fitness up and was able to move into the midfield I thought I had a bigger impact.”
Newcomer Dale Cummins meanwhile, was honoured as reserve grade’s most consistent in his first year at the club.
Cummins had previously been playing his trade in fourth division with the Goulburn City Swans before linking up with the Tigers.
Michael Elliott was named as most determined which the reserve grade club award went to Matt Liddle.