Season Preview 2023: Woden Valley Rams

The 2022 Canberra Raiders Cup Club Champions, the Woden Valley Rams, had an impressive year across the board, with all three major grades qualifying for finals and the League Tag side lifting the premiership for the first time.

Woden First Grade captain Jesse Martin described last season as "a massive learning curve," as the 2022 Coach of the Year Billy Thomson sets his eyes on going one further this year.

The Rams finished with 11 wins and a second-place finish which was a huge improvement from 2021 where they finished last with only two wins to their name.

Jesse Martin spoke with media about their impressive season last year and how they shape up ahead of round one against Yass this Saturday.

"We're ready to rip in. The boys have got plenty of km's in their legs. Billy [Thomson] has been flogging them at training getting ready for round one," Martin said.

"Billy has brought in a real tough edge on the boys. They've been working for each other and we just want to better that this year."

Fresh recruit women's tackle player Penny Bate has bought right into the Rams' culture and is looking forward to the challenge of going one better this season.

"Preseason's been really fun. We did really well last year coming second and I'm really keen to join the team," Bate said.

"We've been really working on our fitness, agility and putting a real focus on our tackling.

League Tag representative Emma McDonald spoke with media about their historic season lifting the premiership for the first time and how they look to defend the title in 2023.

"We've never really had that [target on our backs]. We've always been the underdogs and we did speak about that," McDonald said. 

"We've just got to go out there, be confident and see what happens."

The Woden Valley Rams will travel to Yass this Saturday to take on the Magpies in round one of the Canberra Raiders Cup.