Rugby League Challenge Trophy success leaves Gravesend Dynamite on a roll as they prepare for 10th season of wheelchair rugby action

Gravesend Dynamite are about to head into their 10th season - and they will do so in style!

Wheelchair rugby club Dynamite were formed in 2013 by coach Jason Owen, and they have enjoyed their fair share of success since their inception.

He said: “I formed the club in September 2013 so we will be entering our 10th year from September, although our 10th anniversary will not be until 2023.

“When I first set up the club, I didn’t expect it to make such a difference.”

They recently won the national Rugby League Challenge Trophy in Hull thanks to an 82-40 victory over Mersey Storm.

With the competition not taking place in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, it’s the third successive time Gravesend have won the tournament after a 2019 win over Hull and a success over Warrington last year.

“It was a strong team we were up against in Mersey Storm,” reflected Owen, who was impressed by the performance of Euan Huckle while Dan Grant captained the side.

“They were unbeaten in their league campaign up north. They have got some experienced players but, in the end, it was a really good 82-40 win.

“It was a really well-organised event up in Hull. We were missing two or three players but still had a strong squad.

“It was a tiring day because some of us left at 5am, but it was worth it.”

Players aged between seven and 70 are involved at Gravesend Dynamite, who are focused on supporting those with mental disabilities as well as physical ones.

Membership numbers have dropped at the club since the pandemic, with Owen saying 10 to 12 now come regularly, but he hopes those numbers can raise once again soon.

“Unfortunately since lockdown, I think a lot of sports have had similar problems,” he said. “We have struggled a bit in the last 18 months.

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