Season Previews
Trentham
Trentham will again be coached by Troy Scoble who is heading into his 8th year as Senior Coach at Trentham and Rick Dowling who is heading into his 2nd year as Coach. Last year Trentham had a solid Home and Away season winning 10 games and finishing 5th, then winning a final against Maldon before being eventually eliminated by Harcourt in the Semi Final. They will be eager to improve on this result and finish inside the top 4 and earn the double chance. The team will be largely unchanged from last year, other than a few key recruits who will no doubt bolster the clubs chances in 2019.
Joel Cowan joins the club from Daylesford and his credentials as an elite on baller will benefit the team greatly. Cowan finished runner up in the Central Highlands FL Best and Fairest Count a few years back. Jack Hayward has also joined the club from the Maryborough FC after previously playing for Trentham before he joined Maryborough two seasons ago. Hayward was able to have a very consistent year for Maryborough last year and will no doubt be a very important player to the Trentham line up this season. The club has lost players in Trent Davey, Elliot Drew and Taylor Drew.
Trentham have shown gradual improvement over the last few years while Troy Scoble has been coach and based on the recruits the club has been able to secure, that improvement could possibly continue.
Prediction – Trentham to again play finals and finish 6th
Royal Park
After finishing 7th after the home and away season last year and loosing their first final, Royal Park will be looking to advance further into the finals this year. Zac Stewart and Murray Bond are again coaching and expect improvement to come from key arrivals at the club in Zac Tunbridge (returning to the club from the Central Highlands FL) Jacob Cahil (Central Highlands FL), Brendan Murdoch (Birchip FNC) and Zane Early (Ballarat FNL). These players are experienced senior footballers and will add experience to the Royal Park line up. Trent Baird and Josh Brown have departed the club this season.
Key recruit Zac Tunbridge who was coach of the club back in 2017 will play an important role at Centre Half Back throughout the year and expect captain Jay Anderson to have a huge influence on games through the midfield. If Royal Park can deliver the ball well to Jacob Rollason who was the club leading goalkicker last year it will go a long way to being able to kick a winning score each week.
Expect many younger players to also receive an opportunity to play senior football throughout season 2019. Declan Wagstaff and Jackson Lanfranchi are two players who may play regular senior football during the year. The challenge will be for the new players at the club to work in well with the younger players and if this is to happen early in the season, Royal Park will be a tough team to play against.
Prediction – Expected to just miss the finals and finish 10th
Newstead
Newstead enter the 2019 season under 2nd year coach Mark Ramsey. Last year Newstead finished 12th and won 3 games with a very inexperienced team which saw opportunities given to a number of younger players. With these younger players now having a taste of Senior Football we should start to see improvement during 2019.
The club has been able to secure key position players Joel Smith who is returning to the club after a stint with Castlemaine and Kieran Sait who has joined from Charlton. This is just what the club needed, having lacked a number of bigger, key position players last year to support the youth in the team. Having these experienced players supporting the younger players and teaching them at the same time will be vital for the club and its progression during this season. The club has also been fortunate to secure the services of Jay Reardon from Kyneton and Angus Adams, Nick Richardson and Joe Tormey from Charlton. The club has lost both Kyle Hamilton and Kaleb McBride to Harcourt for this season but should be able to cover their loss through their recruits, along with providing more opportunity to younger players.
Although the club has been able to secure some key recruits for this upcoming season, expect the team to still provide plenty of opportunities for younger players to get a taste of senior football, with an eye on the future, as well as this season.
Prediction – To improve on the amount of games won during the 2018 season and finish 11th.
Natte Bealiba
Last year’s Grand Finalists Natte Bealiba should look to only improve moving into the 2019 season. New recruits Zeb Broadbent and Marc Lindsay have arrived at the club from Sandhurst and they will take on the Senior Coaching position in a joint capacity. Broadbent and Lindsay featured in Bridgewater’s 2016 premiership, where Lindsay was the coach of the side and Broadbent was the league best and fairest winner. Last year both players played at Sandhurst where Broadbent had another great season while Lindsay suffered some injury setbacks. The arrival of both players will be huge for the club along with the addition of Broadbent’s brother Tom Broadbent who has arrived from the Bendigo FNL.
Along with the new additions to the club, expect improvement from young local players in Jye Mortlock and Bailey Cossar. Mortlock was last seasons Best and Fairest winner and should only keep improving as a player. The club has lost Jarrod Bateson and Daniel Vadala but is confident that the void left from these players will be filled. The club is very understanding that they need to improve a fair bit from last year if they are to match it with the best sides in the competition and go one step further and bring home a premiership. To be able to recruit players with genuine finals experience will be huge for the team come September.
Predicted finish – 1st. They will improve on last year and finish on top and give themselves every chance of a premiership come September.
Avoca
Avoca enter the 2019 season under the guidance of coaches AJ Bourke and Damien Scott. There is a lot of optimism around the club after the off field signing of Beaufort FNC Premiership star Jack Duke. Duke comes across to the club after playing a major part in Beaufort’s premiership where he was one of his team’s best in the Grand Final. Duke will play through the midfield and across half forward where he is a hard matchup and dangerous goal kicker. Adrian Prest has also joined the club from Hawthorn Ammeters and Prest will add some more midfield depth.
Avoca narrowly missed the finals last year finishing 10th, just outside the final 8 on percentage. The club is hopeful it can push for a finals spot this year. Nick Coghlan is another player the club is hoping can have a productive on field campaign in season 2019. Coghlan suffered some hamstring issues last year but his preseason form indicates he is over these issues. Aaron Henneman is another player who will no doubt make it difficult for opposition teams. Henneman has played at full forward in the past and with AFL experience, he is a difficult match up. It will be exciting to see how he and Jack Duke work together in the same forward line.
The club has lost the services of Hayden Slater for the 2019 season who is now playing in the Geelong area.
Prediction – Avoca to move up the ladder into the 8 and finish 7th
Maryborough Rovers
Avoca enter the 2019 season under the guidance of coaches AJ Bourke and Damien Scott. There is a lot of optimism around the club after the off field signing of Beaufort FNC Premiership star Jack Duke. Duke comes across to the club after playing a major part in Beaufort’s premiership where he was one of his team’s best in the Grand Final. Duke will play through the midfield and across half forward where he is a hard matchup and dangerous goal kicker. Adrian Prest has also joined the club from Hawthorn Ammeters and Prest will add some more midfield depth.
Avoca narrowly missed the finals last year finishing 10th, just outside the final 8 on percentage. The club is hopeful it can push for a finals spot this year. Nick Coghlan is another player the club is hoping can have a productive on field campaign in season 2019. Coghlan suffered some hamstring issues last year but his preseason form indicates he is over these issues. Aaron Henneman is another player who will no doubt make it difficult for opposition teams. Henneman has played at full forward in the past and with AFL experience, he is a difficult match up. It will be exciting to see how he and Jack Duke work together in the same forward line.
The club has lost the services of Hayden Slater for the 2019 season who is now playing in the Geelong area.
Prediction – Avoca to move up the ladder into the 8 and finish 7th
Harcourt
After finishing top 4 after the home and away season last year, Harcourt are desperate to again give themselves an opportunity to have a double chance come September. Coach Paul Chaplin believes a Preliminary Final appearance is the aim again with the hope of progressing to a Grand Final. The club has been able to secure the services of onballer Alex Code who was last year’s Best on Ground in the Loddon Valley GF. Code will add some midfield experience which will be vital in the big games this year. Zac Denahy who is an athletic forward just out of the Bendigo Pioneers has committed to play at the club this season and he will no doubt cause some problems for opposition back lines. Chaplin has been pleased with the Practice Games which the club played and believes they were fantastic hit outs leading into the start of the season.
The club has lost Kyle Gillingham to Maldon along with Chris Ling who will need to be replaced in the teams backline. Although the team has lost a few players, Coach Paul Chaplin is confident that the players who have been brought into the club this year will adequately replace these players. Harcourt won 11 games during the Home & Away season last year and will be hoping to build on this tally this year and match it with the likes of Carisbrook, Natte Bealiba and Talbot come September.
Prediction – To improve on last years ladder position and finish 3rd
Maldon
After breaking into the finals last year, Maldon will again be looking to score enough wins to not only play finals but win some finals footy. They will be determined to progress further than their week 1 exit last year at the hands of Trentham. Coach Brendan Shepherd is very confident the team can build on its 7 wins from last year, based on the way their preseason has gone and the amount of high quality recruits the club has secured this season. Maldon started their preseason in late November where they completed 5 sessions before the Christmas break, and were fortunate to have many of their new recruits commence with the club for the first preseason session.
Maldon have signed 9 x new recruits, with some of their notable ones being Andrew Wilson, David Wilson and Kyle Gillingham all from the Harcourt FNC while Rhys Ford has joined the club from the Newbridge FNC. Gillingham and Ford will likely provide headaches for other teams backlines with both capable of kicking big bags of goals up forward. Another key recruit is Adam Robinson who will likely play at Centre Half Back and has joined the club from Castlemaine.
The club has lost Liam Roberts (YCW – Loddon Valley) and Luke Spalding (Retired) but is confident it can fill the void of both players.
Prediction – Maldon to win more games than last year and still finish in 8th position with the potential to go much further than week 1 of the finals this year.
Navarre
After a slow start to the season last year for Navarre, 2nd year coach Kyle Hendy is hoping early wins this year can setup a strong season and push the team back into the top 4 again, after missing last year. The recruitment of Jake and Tom Robinson along with Aiden Lee will add great midfield depth with all players to spend periods through the middle of the ground during the season. Jake Robinson joins the club from the Ararat Rats while Tom Robinson and Aiden Lee come across from Great Western. The club has also secured the services of Josh Reid who has joined the club from Stawell Swifts and will play across the wing and half forward. The club have lost Darcy Bibby and Brad Slorach for the 2019 season but are confident they will cover these players with some of their key signings.
With a very strong preseason which commenced back in December, expect Navarre to improve on last years effort which saw them finish 6th, win two finals and loose to Carisbrook in the Preliminary Final. Navarre have had such a successful period over the last 10 years at senior level and will be eager to again push hard for a chance to play off for more silverware. There is no doubt the passion to achieve the ultimate in the competition is still burning and expect them to push back into the top 4 again and give themselves every chance to go all the way.
Predicted finish – 4th and earn a double chance
Dunolly
Dunolly enter the 2019 season with a new coach at the helm, with Jamie Townsed taking over as Senior Playing Coach along with a new President in Ash Lierich. According to insiders at the club, the feeling around the club leading into this season has been super with good numbers on the training track and a strong determination to improve on the winless season from 2018. Dunolly have played two solid Practice Matches against Rockbank and the Maryborough Rovers where they have been very competitive across both Senior and Reserve grades.
The playing list has been strengthened by the recruitment of key players Tyson Cope and Toby Johnston. Cope has great leadership skills and will play in a key forward position and provide a genuine avenue to goal while Johnston is a big bodied on baller who will look to lead from the front through the midfield. Corey Bray who was a consistent performer last year for the club has had a solid preseason and will look to improve his all round game this year while Josh Goodman has been appointed Vice Captain and will play an important role for the team in the back line.
The club has worked very hard off field over the last few years to have a sustainable future and with a number of positive outcomes taking place during the off season due to some hard work taking place, there is now an expectation from within to be far more competitive on field this season.
Prediction – Dunolly to improve on their win/loss ratio from last year and finish 13th.
Campbells Creek
The Campbells Creek FNC have been working tirelessly this off season to ensure the club has a sustainable future, both at Senior & Junior level. A new look committee led by new Secretary Marg Stevens are confident the club is progressing in the right direction under new Coach Phil Hawkes. Hawkes has been encouraged by the amount of senior players who have joined the club in recent weeks but says the club is still encouraging any new players who are keen to play this season to attend training. The aim for Campbells Creek this year will be to remain competitive in as many games as possible, with the ultimate aim to record a few wins and improve on their 1 win last year.
The club has been able to add some key players to its senior list in Daniel Ray (Lalor FC) Declan Jessup (East Sunbury FC) and Austin Jones (Castlemaine FC). Hawkes believes Ray and Jessup will play important roles for the club through the midfield and up forward throughout the season.
This season will very much be a transitional one for the club with the key focus for the committee and coaching staff to be on setting up a structure both on and off field which will see a sustainable future for the club. In saying this, Senior Coach Hawkes does not want to be “easy beats” for any team in the competition and is focussed on playing with a large amount of competitiveness and passion each week.
Predicted finish is 14th but to remain very competitive in most games throughout the season
Talbot
After a very disappointing end to the 2018 season where the club finished top 4 after the home & away season and then went out in straight sets, the Talbot FNC are eager to continue to improve as a club and provide themselves with an opportunity to go deep into September.
The hunger is very much still there and for first year coach Luke Kemp he believes it is a great time to take on a Senior Coaching role with the amount of talent on the list. Talbot have been able to secure the services of Danny Mullane who has recently been playing in Geelong. Danny is a running half back/midfielder who uses the ball very well on his left foot. Expect Danny to have a big impact along with Trystan Sammut (East Point/Smythesdale) who has committed to the club as well as Anthony Taylor (Smythesdale). Expect all three of these recruits to have an immediate impact at Senior Level.
2018 Senior Coach Matt Smith has stepped down from the top job but he will continue at the club in a playing capacity. The club will be hoping key forward Ash McDonald can remain a focal point up forward and provide the backlines of each team with a tough matchup each week. Expect Talbot to come out with plenty to prove at the start of the 2019 season with their disappointing end last year.
Prediction – Talbot to finish one better on the ladder this year and finish 3rd.
Lexton
The Lexton FNC enter the 2020 season on the back off some exciting off season recruiting coups where the club have been able to secure at present 19 new signings. After narrowly missing the finals in 2018 only by percentage, the Tigers will look to push into the 8 this season under the guidance of 2nd Year Coach Lewis Baker. Baker believes the senior groups fitness and game style is far more advanced that what it was this time last year leading into the season.
Baker was particularly pleased with the way his team featured against some of the better teams in 2018, but just lacked the consistency across the course of the season. Baker believes with improvement from within along with the talent which has been added to the playing list, improvement will come. Some players who have joined the Tigers for this season are Zac Jenkins (Ararat), Ollie Hayes (Bungaree), Todd Curran (Learmonth) and Pat McGuigan (Learmonth). The Tigers have also added to their Coaching stocks with the addition of Matt Begbie as a Non Playing Assistant Coach.
Jimmy Templeton & Damon Aspland have both had an outstanding pre-Seasons and will look to continue their good form from last year into 2019. Lexton will have four joint captains this year in Lachy Rokebrand, Jake Eyers, Bryce Karslake and Steele Cox.
Prediction – Lexton to improve on their 7 wins from last year and win 9 games and finish 6th.
Carisbrook
Carisbrook have been the benchmark in this competition over the last few years and the challenge for them is to maintain this high standard and keep their drive and hunger to achieve more success. The club have lost some of last years premiership players in Matthew Bilton who is playing with the Maryborough Magpies while Steve Patterson and Ash Munari have joined the Ballarat FC while Ayden George has taken on a senior coaching job with North Geelong. The loss of these experienced players will give some younger local players a deserving opportunity. Bowen said with a changing list they are now looking forward to putting the work into and also giving the opportunity to some young local juniors who have earnt the right to play senior football through their hard work.
Bowen believes that of all the Pre Seasons he has been in charge of as Coach, this Pre Season has been the best in terms of buy in from the playing group. Carisbrook have had an outstanding junior program over the last few years so expect many of the players who are provided with an opportunity to play senior football to step in and have an immediate impact from their first match. The team could see up t0 10 new faces in the senior team this season from last years Premiership team.
Last year the team only lost one match for the year which was during the home and away season. Expect them to loose a few more than that this year but still remain firmly entrenched inside the top 4. Expected finish – 2nd.