In just one week we’ll be back into action in the Mallee Football League. And what a season it promises to be! Over the long and wet summer months the bush was awash with recruitment stories.
Walpeup/Underbool went back to Adelaide to try and emulate their successes of 2007 and 2008. The Cats recruited closer to home and have drawn players from the Swan Hill region, the Lakers look stronger and Sonny Lindsay was linked with three clubs before eventually resigning with Ouyen United, but the biggest story of all was the new coach of Hopetoun, Kain Robbins … interestingly the quietest club over the summer was last year’s premiers, Beulah.
Will the Beulah Blues go back to back? There are certainly good signs that they could. They were undefeated in 2010, they have lots of depth, they are a well supported club able to draw on some very strong local families and they have a stable club environment.
With players of the calibre of the Hallams, the Shannons and the Lehmanns, there is no need for them to spend up … well, not just yet. With Scott Smith taking the reins again, the Blues are clear favourites to win another flag in 2011.
Ouyen United was the only club to get close to the Blues last year. The Demons have been very busy recruiting over the summer, although if they do manage to go one step further in 2011, it may be their youth who will make the difference. Previous Under 16s captain Devan Pohlner and wingman Alex Morrish look ready to step up and it should be remembered that United blooded these two last year and apparently Morrish was close to getting a seniors callup in the finals.
The Demons big plus this year is assistant coach Bradley Vallance. He had a standout practice match against Mildura and he plays as a big, but mobile high marking forward with explosive pace and a great leap. The Jardine brothers return to Ouyen United which could release Ryan O’Callaghan to play forward. United will look to the class of Glenn Joyce, Marc Hahnel and Brett Knowles to get them one step further up the ladder.
Another club to have actively recruited was the 2010 third placed Jeparit/Rainbow who came close to making the Grand Final. They have replaced some very good footballers with equally classy recruits. The Lakers will miss Peter Weir and Jayden Werner up forward and Tim Price in defence, but have recruited three strong defenders in Luke Bryne from Carnham-Linton, Daniel Greigg from Dimboola and Tom McIntosh from Clunes. Tom’s brother Matt also joins the Lakers; the McIntosh brothers are sons of former Jeparit player Andrew who played for the club in the 1970s.
Luke Werner is the new captain/coach, big man Justin Chilver and Corey Waldron are his assistants and Heath Clugston joins Werner as joint captain. Along with Ash Clugston and Ben Zanker, Jeparit Rainbow will look to youth in the form of last year’s Under 16s Best and Fairest winner Nathan Cocks to take them one or two steps further up the ladder this year. They will have a reasonably young team with most of the new players in their early 20s joining the already young brigade from last year.
The Lakers will have a strong side all over the ground. Other players to join them are Jacob Gawith (Minyip Murtoa), Andrew Jackson ( Kalkee), Ben Marra ( Nhill) and Luke Oldaker( Nhill).
In a recruiting move that had the other clubs shivering in their boots, Hopetoun was successful in regaining former junior Kain Robins who comes back as senior coach after recent experience with TAC Pioneers, VFL, WAFL and the Bendigo FL. In his first year as coach, he brings with him an impressive array of recruits including Mark Adamson (Kyabram), Luke Milroy (Eaglehawk), Ruben Vesikuru (Birchip), Chris Heath (Harrow/Balmoral), David Baulch (Springbank) and Marcus Mckern (Elmore).
This will undoubtedly strengthen the Devils even though they lose Marcus and Clint Burdett, Liam Price, Mick Columbro and Jordan Phelan.
With a few seasons under their belt, Hopetoun are looking to young locals Ben Reid, Zac Robins and Rylan Wellington to add more depth to the side and the club has taken much pride in seeing Lucas Cook drafted to the Melbourne FC and look forward to following his progress in the future.
Pre season started in Mid January for the Devils, so we can expect a fit Hopetoun Outfit that will expect to finish in the top four vying for a top two spot, but in a season that should prove more even than last year as all clubs seem to have recruited well, a win in any one of the finals will be a bonus.
The Sea Lake/Nandaly Tigers were very disappointed not making the finals last year and with Colin Durie coaching once again, the team has had a gruelling pre-season and it looks like he has the boys ready to take on anyone, including the reigning premiers in the first round.
The recruiting committee has been active and the club has gained Jarred Alderton, Mark Deutcher, Josh Longary, Daniel Carmichael, Matt Vining, Jeremy Weinert, Mykel Smith and Reece Thomas. They will also welcome back to the club Braydon Ottrey and Luke Kerr to make up for departures that includes Darcy Ryan, Joe Summerhayes, Ryan Dowdy, Lachlan and Hamish Dowdy and Nathan Manuel.
As in the past, the Tigers have done well out of their junior players and this season they will improve their depth with up to ten players to come out of their Under 16s including Geordan McLaughlan, Jason Campbell, Zac Noonan, Luke Kerrand Reece Thomas. Young Andy Roberts is expected to be a big improver after a year of senior footy under his belt last year.
After grabbing back-to-back flags in the mid 2000s, Walpeup/Underbool has been on the slippery slide down the MFL ladder ever since. They hope to arrest the slide and have appointed former AFL player and local hero Kane Munro as Senior coach.
This is another club that has actively recruited over the summer months picking up a number of new recruits including former West Adelaide player Wade Champion and they welcome the return of former premiership captain Luke Nathan.
The Roos are a tight knit bunch with a loyal and supportive following. The footballers and netballers have been training hard and are looking for a strong season with competitive top four finishes in all grades.
The last time Woomelang/Lascelles was in a seniors MFL Grand Final was in 2006. Since then they have had little on field success. With a long suffering supporter base and a battle to get sides on the field at times last year due to a long injury list, they vow to be a stronger football and netball club this season, one that will be more competitive on the field whilst maintaining their reputation as a friendly and welcoming club off the ground. They want to win more games than they lose and play finals football.
In order to make this a realistic goal, the Cats have not only been able to keep most of last year’s list, but they have managed to build on it. This is something that the club hasn’t been able to do for three years.
Two of their standout recruits for 2011 are Rohan Coburn and Jayden Lonergan. Coburn played in Swan Hill’s grand final side last year and at only 22 years of age he has a lot of good football ahead of him. Coburn can play half back, wing or on ball and with his strong athletic build and explosive pace, he is going to trouble opposition teams. Lonergan’s former club is Lake Boga and he boasts a strong and solid build enabling him to play full forward, but he can also used on the ball or fill a gap on the back line. Lonergan has put in a big pre-season, he is very fit and at only 21 years of age, like Coburn, he has a lot of football ahead of him.
Others to be attracted to the Woomelang/Lascelles club are Bryan Pye, Mark Charleson, Anthony Close, Tim Hanns, Justin Hooper, Andrew Lolicato, Braydon O'Bree, Jackson Quirk, Chris Smith and Brodie Williamson.
Last year the Cats were able to give a lot of on field time to Brodie Adcock and Trent Donnan. Brodie will be around, but unfortunately for Woomelang/Lascelles, but fortunately for Trent, he may be required by the Bendigo Pioneers. 2010 will go down as the year of the injuries for the Cats. They have done the work over summer and now want to regain the respect they demanded in the mid 2000s.
by Jim Gordon
Last Modified on 28/03/2011 17:37
