Article by Caitlin Arnold
As a side that beat every team in the competition last year yet only participated in week one of the finals, the UNSW/Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs are keen to live up to their clear potential in season 2014.
Welcoming a new Senior Coach in Daniel Lynch to the Premier Division side, the club is targeting success, on and off the field this season.
Saying goodbye to their Senior Coach of the past two years, Rhys McAllister, who has furthered his role as a coach at the AFL Sydney Swans Academy, Lynch joins the Bulldogs after a stint at the UTS Bats.
Lynch spent time with McAllister during the off-season to ensure a smooth transition and is now putting his men through their paces with a newcomer’s vision for improvement.
"My focus in 2014 has included winning contested ball, high standards of fitness and capitalising on smart ball movement in transition."
"All players, across all grades have impressed with their skill and fitness this pre-season."
Lynch credits the club for their "very low player attrition" and sights this as the reason that the Premier Division side has not had to recruit extensively during the off-season. Happily, their Division One team made the Grand Final in 2013 making it possible to recruit quality players from within.
Lynch is also excited at the prospect of fielding some young up-and-comers at the club.
"In an effort to promote continuity between the coaches, and growth and development of the playing group in 2014, a number of Under 19’s will be given the opportunity to play in the more senior grades. "
Again, Pennant Hills are labelled as the predicted team to beat in 2014.
"They are very well coached and have a strong team-first mentality, coupled with excellent depth in their playing group," Lynch says of Pennant Hills.
However, he is also quick to recognise his former club’s potential, following excellent off-season recruiting at UTS.
The two neighbouring sides clash in the first game of the season at Waverley Oval. It is a prospect that Lynch is excited about, not only as a coach whose side eagerly awaits the first bounce of the 2014 season, but as a coach coming up against his former team.
"I have a lot of respect for the UTS playing group and see UTS as another opposition and another opportunity in 2014. I’m expecting UTS to work to their strengths with big bodies hitting the contest hard and experienced minds moving the ball precisely by foot."
Similarly to their Round One opponents, UNSW/Eastern Suburbs have also been working closely with their women’s team, the Stingrays. The aptly named NSW State Coach, Tracey Kick, has joined the side as their new Senior Coach. Lynch says the women’s aspect of the game at UNSW/Eastern Suburbs is going from "strength to strength", with two teams being fielded in 2014.
"The appointment of a well respected and super credentialed coach [Kick], an increase in numbers and depth of ability has already had a profound impact on the club."
Off the field, Lynch and club President, Steve Ray, are thrilled with their weight within the East Sydney community. Lynch attributes the high regard with which the Bulldogs are held throughout the Eastern Suburbs to the club’s ability to raise fantastic young footballers and young people. Their connections at the AFL Sydney Swans Academy are also tough to ignore.
"The UNSW/Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs has brilliant local support, as evidenced by the recent addition of our new Major and Jumper Sponsor, GoodTime Burgers at Bondi Junction, who not only have enormous $10-$15 post-match burgers for any Sydney AFL player and club, but will also televise live AFL games every Friday and Saturday night."
The UNSW Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs play the UTS Bats on 29 March 2014 at 2pm.
Last Modified on 10/03/2014 11:21
