Gavin Hunt backs Bradley Grobler to deliver goals for Stellenbosch FC

Stellenbosch FC coach Gavin Hunt believes Bradley Grobler can rediscover his scoring form and play a central role in the club’s recovery during the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season.

The 38-year-old striker came on in the 60th minute of Stellenbosch FC’s 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Thursday night. It was his fourth appearance as a substitute and seventh league outing overall this campaign.

Grobler is second on the PSL’s all-time scoring list behind Peter Shalulile, with 130 goals, and Hunt expects him to add regularly to that total once he regains full fitness.

“He is not going to play for us in every single game because he is 38 after all. We lost one or two players and we’ve had one or two emergencies,” Hunt said.

“As long as he breaks the record and I believe he will score five or six more goals this season if not more, we just need a proper run of home games.”

Stellenbosch FC have endured an uneven beginning to the season, with Hunt pointing to injuries and constant changes to his team as key reasons for their difficulties.

The club have played five official away matches in their eight league games so far. They have also been forced to stage some home fixtures outside the Western Cape, further limiting their opportunity to establish a settled side.

“We play away all the time and people tend to forget that. We’ve also had to blood in many youngsters which takes time and patience, and the lack of home games has also made that process more difficult,” Hunt said.

The coach also had four former Kaizer Chiefs players in his starting line-up against their old club. Given Msimango, George Matlou, Njabulo Blom and Ashley du Preez all began the match for Stellenbosch FC after joining the club this season.

Despite their previous links with Kaizer Chiefs, Hunt said he had not depended on any specific information from the quartet when preparing for the fixture.

The draw at FNB Stadium extended Stellenbosch FC’s run of challenging away assignments, while Hunt’s comments underlined the importance he places on Grobler’s fitness and experience as the team seeks greater consistency.

For now, the striker remains a regular option from the bench, but Hunt expects his return to full sharpness to bring more goals and help Stellenbosch FC recover their momentum during the campaign.