The opportunity at making their own bit of history has kept the relentless Gordonians machine ticking over.
The Countesswells side sit top of National Three, swatting aside all before them in racking up 16 wins out of 16.
An unbeaten season is the carrot which keeps those in gold motivated for each challenge laid before them. Such a feat is rare at any level of sport, but it is there for the Gordonians players to seize.
“We’ve worked hard up until now to create a buffer at the top, but with the games we’ve got, we really should be looking to go unbeaten,” said head coach Jim Greenwood.
“The boys have mentioned it and it’s not an unachievable goal. But it will be a hard one – I’ve never achieved an unbeaten season and they might never achieve one again, if they’re fortunate enough to do it.
“There have been games this season where we’ve struggled to motivate the players. It can happen when you’re sending guys out against a team they’ve already beaten significantly this season.
“It’s just about having that little golden bullet in the back of your hand to say: ‘we can’t afford any slip-ups if we want to achieve that goal’.
“That just reminds them of their own aspirations and they’re a driven bunch of guys. I’m glad they set that as their goal.”
Long-term Premiership goal
The landscape of Scottish and Aberdeen rugby will be shifting in the summer.
Leagues below the Premiership are due to be restructured and, while Gordonians find themselves top of their division, city neighbours Aberdeen Grammar are in a relegation tussle in National One.
“We’ve spoken about what’s going to be good for the club in three years, five years, 10 years and what sort of legacy we want to leave.
The two could be in the same league next season, depending on how the reshuffle takes shape, and Greenwood’s side are doing their bit to ensure they play at the highest level possible.
“It’s important that we maintain our status in National 3, if not get promotion to National 2,” he added. “Long-term, we should be looking to get ourselves into the Premiership.
“Grammar flew that flag for some time and I think it’s important we have a powerhouse of rugby somewhere in the north-east.
“Whether that’s achievable for us or not, I don’t know.
“I certainly think we’ve got the right people in the right places and the facilities; it’s whether we can make best use of the recruitment through the school and the school leavers, to really get the player depth and experience to achieve those goals.
“That’s probably a five or six-year goal.
“For the long-term health of the club, I think it’s important all the leavers from Robert Gordon’s (College) are told they’re Gordonians, even if they choose not to play rugby.
“I had four leavers play for the second team last weekend. They were back up from university and asked if there was a game on.
“I think we potentially underestimate how important that link with the school is. These guys might come back and work in Aberdeen.
“You only need a couple of new faces each year to keep that freshness within the squad. That’s crucial for us.”
Leaving a Gordonians legacy
Greenwood, who took over as Gordonians head coach in 2020, juggles his club commitments with coaching at Robert Gordon’s College and with Scottish Rugby in their FOSROC Academy.
He took over during the pandemic and, while there was a relegation to contend with along the way, they are reaping the rewards of the work they put in.
“We made the decision during Covid not to shut down and trained under the guidance,” said Greenwood. “It kept the boys together and meant we recruited well.
“It meant our relegation last year was on a high points tally and the culture around the club was still positive.
“When the boys set their goals out for this season, I knew it was achievable.
“Rugby in the north-east is changing and it’s really important we look to strengthen all the positives at the club.”
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