NEWLY-appointed Newtown & Chilwell captain Matt McMahon says leading the Eagles in Dan Feery’s absence for much of 2016 has helped him transition into the role on permanent basis.
The Vic Country representative is one of the GFL’s most respected midfielders for his no-fuss approach to the game.
“I like to lead by the way I play rather than giving the boys a big rev up,” McMahon said of his style.
After reaching the 2015 grand final, last year Newtown & Chilwell lost five consecutive matches between rounds 13-17 to miss the top five by two games.
McMahon says new coach Damien McMahon has had a real focus on the speed the Eagles move the ball during pre-season.
“We had our first praccy on the weekend and I noticed from the sidelines how quickly we moved it (compared) to the last couple of years,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot of kids coming in that have got a lot of pace, and we’re looking to improve each week at the moment.”
Newtown & Chilwell opens its season with a trip to McDonald Reserve to play South Barwon on April 8, a venue that hasn’t been particularly kind to the Eagles in recent history.
“We did win there last year, but prior to that it was about 10 years since we’d won there,” he said.
“They’ve always given us a lot of trouble, especially when they were up there winning flags every year.
“It’s always been a real tricky game for us.”
Twitter: @tom_king79
Last Modified on 24/03/2017 04:51