2023 Football Season Preview
With Coach Brad Macgowan
What has the lead up to the season been like for you, as coaches?
It has been an exciting off/pre-season for us as coaches. To strengthen our coaching group, we have brought in Paul Aikman. Paul is a very experienced coach that has performed a variety of roles including spending many years coaching with us at VFL level with North Ballarat. Paul will focus on the midfield this year which will allow Brad to spend greater time focusing on the overall program.
How have you felt about the boys and pre-season so far?
We were all very disappointed not to make the finals last year and the boys have returned this year with a strong desire to ensure we make them this year.
We have had good numbers at training throughout the pre-season, with between 20 and 40 players attending each session. We trained two nights a week throughout the preseason. Mondays at Clarendon College and Wednesdays at Rokewood. We did a month before Christmas and then returned in late January and have been making solid progress each week as we improve our fitness and learn and practice different components of our game plan.
What has been your main focus in the pre-season?
In 2022 we were a team that liked to move the ball quickly and we will look to do that again in 2023. We have altered our game plan slightly this year and will now put even greater focus on putting pressure on the opposition at all times and getting the ball in the forward half and keeping it there for longer. Much of our training over pre-season focused on the things required to implement these focus’s.
How excited are you for the season to get underway?
Very. In our two practice matches we able to implement the areas we have been focusing on and play our way. This led to convincing wins over both Skipton in Practice Match 1 and Waubra in Practice Match 2. Although we are aware both of these sides we well below their best, we can take confidence from the fact that our game style is effective if can execute it to the level we did in those matches.
Who are you most excited to see out on the oval and why?
We have done some significant recruiting over the off-season and have been impressed with all the new boys. Some players to watch include Mick Lockyer (2022 Mininera League best and fairest, and century goalkicker) who will play in the midfield and Connor Parkin, Kyle Hayes and Brad Schiltz who will add speed, skill and pressure to our forward line. Other new boys include midfielders Paddy Habberfield and Jackson Ford and key position players Lukas Essenwanger, Max Campana and Dan Cassidy. Plus, after only playing the last few games of last year, Dan Christie will now be our number 1 ruckman which will allow Ed Denouden to play as a key forward, Matty Aikman is back to his best in the midfield after missing most of last year with injury and Hamish Everett returns as a key defender after missing much of last year through injury.
What is your main goal for the season ahead?
To play in the finals!!.
