Rivalry to reignite as Kiama chases upset win over Vikings

Taking on their fiercest rivals, Kiama will celebrate Back to Kiama Day on Saturday, while also raising money for charity The Man Walk.

With the day holding so much importance, Patrick is confident his players will arrive ready to produce a determined performance.

"We're aiming to be competitive, very competitive," Patrick said. "I'm pretty sure all the boys will be pumped up for it. All I can ask for is the boys to be competitive. Against a team like Vikings, it's pretty easy to get up for a game like that.

"We'll have a few old stalwarts come in to speak to the boys, give a bit of a history lesson, discuss the great players to come out of the club and what Kiama rugby means to them."

Kiama will wear special jerseys for the match, which will be auctioned off to raise funds for The Man Walk.

A charity set up by former Kiama player, and current physio, Mark Burns, The Man Walk aims to provide men with an outlet to discuss their personal challenges through regular morning walks.

After experiencing rapid growth since its establishment in mid-2018, the charity is looking to expand its services and provide more formal links to health organisations.

Patrick said men's mental health is an important issue for many of his players and they're looking forward to raising funds to support a growing local movement.

"The charity was established by a gentleman from the club, Mark Burns, and he's done a lot for the community, it's a credit to him to get it up and running.

"There's just not enough money to go around to get to the right people and help those that have problems. It's great for the community to be able to get local guys out in the morning, walking and getting things off their chest. Mark has done an awesome job and we want to be there to support him."

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After struggling in 2018, Patrick has helped Kiama climb up the ladder in his first year back at the club.

While not quite at the level of the competition's elite, such as Avondale, Bowral and University, Patrick is heartened by the improvement he has seen this season and he's hoping that will be on display against finals contenders Vikings.

"We've progressed a bit this season, but every other team has too. Our team has improved the way we play. Are we where we want to be, I'm not sure if we are, but the progression's there.

"Every week we're competitive with teams we previously haven't been, that's what it's about. The top teams are standouts, but we're competitive with the remainder of the competition."

Saturday's match at Kiama Showground will kick off at the special twilight time of 5pm. The competition's other games will see Shamrocks host University in a blockbuster clash that will have major finals implications.

Bowral will host Camden, Campbelltown will play Tech and Avondale will look to rebound from last week's loss when they face Shoalhaven.

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