Jack Burnett hopes returning to Rubislaw can give Aberdeen Grammar the lift they need to kick-start their season.
Club captain Burnett has primarily been playing for Grammar’s second-string but stepped into the firsts last weekend against Ayr.
He has seen Grammar slide towards the bottom of National One as they struggle to adjust to life outside the top flight.
The Rubislaw side have lost all six league games so far and now face back-to-back home ties against Stewart’s Melville and Dundee.
Burnett is desperate for Grammar to find some positivity to build around, insisting it is difficult to keep players motivated during a winless streak.
“I’d say the mood is fairly positive but it’s definitely on people’s minds,” said Burnett. “People are definitely thinking about it and it’s a concern.
“But I expect the group of players we have to turn it round in the coming weeks. Our four hardest away games are behind us now.
“We’re clearly a different team at Rubislaw. We were so close to winning against Stirling and Watsonians, compared to the away games where there was much more of a gap in the scoreline.
“When you go as long as we have over the last year without winning games, it’s very difficult to find confidence to win the tight games. We probably needed a couple of early wins.”
One positive for Grammar has been that the player availability issues, which dogged them for much of last season, appear to have abated.
“We’ve had a fairly consistent team out,” added Burnett. “We’ve managed to recruit pretty well but there are difficulties.
“Sam Knudson is living in Edinburgh and has been commuting for rugby. Carwyn Walker is based in Melrose for the first six months of the season. Doug Russell just became a dad and we wish him all the best, but he’s a big miss in the back-line.
“It’s a change in dynamic at the club and a changing of the guard in a way. There’s still some availability issues but we’re definitely in a better position than last year.”
Grammar are bottom of National One but face the team directly above them in Stewart’s Melville tomorrow at Rubislaw.
“I expect them to have a go at us and they will feel like they can take something from the game,” said Burnett.
“It’ll be quite fiery but our boys will be up for it. We need to stay defensively solid and see where we are with 15 minutes to go.
“When wins are hard to come by, getting a foothold in the game and keeping teams out is really important. It’s difficult to go to places like Ayr when you concede early.”
