Gavin Hunt identifies reasons for missing top eight

He also acknowledged that he only arrived at the club at the halfway stage of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership, and commended the players for the work put in in the last five months. 

Stellies drew their final game 0-0 against Marumo Gallants, which ensured that the Bloemfontein side will also play top flight football next season, and Hunt says they also should have won that match.

"From where we were, we really have to commend the players and everyone at the club for digging in because it didn't look very pretty at the halfway stage. Once we got safe we started to relax a little bit and took our foot of the gas like what happened in this game."

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Hunt identified the games in which they dropped points, which he believes would have made the difference if the results had gone their way. 

He says the game at the Dr Molemela Stadium was made difficult for them by the fact that Gallants were fighting for dear life at the bottom.

"The last couple of weeks have been frustrating after losing the Polokwane City game in the 94th minute and against Richards Bay we also lost right at the end, and it was disappointing not getting the victory today because we could've jumped Durban City.

"Gallants were fighting for their cause so it was difficult for us."

While he says there’s plans already underway for next season, he knows that it will take time to build the club into a force that can compete again in South African football. 

Hunt will have a full pre-season with Stellies, and has previously revealed that they will return to training by the end of June to prepare for the 2026/27 season.