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A TOUGH season beckons the Sabahawks as they kick off their Premier League campaign at Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu on Monday afternoon.
The team under David McCreery lacked high quality pre-season matches but physically and mentally, his charges appear ready for the new season.
McCreery had worked his players from November after their season ended early in the Super League and being relegated to the Premier League.
The opener will see the team, which will have the services of former Welsh international Rhys David Weston in defence and Koh Traore from Burkina Faso upfront, taking on newcomer KL Spa Putrajaya FC.
McCreery had hoped for more friendlies abroad but their plans to play in the Philippines and Hong Kong did not materialise.
Sabahawks had instead played two matches in Kuala Lumpur, losing to Selangor and the Police. Locally the team played nine friendlies in a road tour across the state.
