The eastern bloc of the Ballarat Football League is again stepping up its challenge to the western powerhouse Redan in search of an elusive senior premiership.
The Melton-Moorabool premiership drought stretches back to the Bloods in 2005, while Redan has won four of the six premierships decided since.
This week GAV McGRATH previews the football seasons of Bacchus Marsh and Melton. Next week he’ll look at Melton South and Darley.
MELTON BLOODS
Coach: Bob Heaney
2011 home and away: ninth, three wins, 13 losses
Key arrivals: James Aquilina (Ballan), Dillon Sharp (Sunbury), Josh Carman (Albion), Jesse McLellan (Werribee Amateurs)
Key departures: Saul Grenfell (Darley), Daniel McRae (Darley), Craig Berger (retired), Cam McKinley (retired), Ryan Davis (Sunbury)
NO short-term fixes. That’s the strategy adopted by new Melton coach Bob Heaney.
The former Gordon coach says the Bloods must remain on message with a home-grown revival, and the club’s recruiting reflects that.
Former BFL best first-year player James Aquilina returns, while ex-Williamstown and Western Jets player Dillon Sharp has crossed from Sunbury, and Josh Carman arrives from Western Region Football League division one side Albion. They hit that early-20s ‘‘sweet spot’’ Melton has been aiming at.
‘‘We’ve targeted being a young team,’’ Heaney says. ‘‘I see, with the current list, our better players last season were around that 21, 22 age bracket, so there is a lot of development and good juniors coming through.
‘‘We have deliberately recruited players in that age group. We haven’t recruited anyone over the age of 25, basically. That’s our strategy and there are no short-term fixes.
‘‘We still have players like Jon Prudek, Allan Hill, Ash Webber and Andy Hunter at the club, so we have experience as well.’’
The age profile at Melton has changed dramatically, with Craig Berger and Cam McKinley retired, and Saul Grenfell off to Darley.
McKinley’s knowledge has not been lost, though, with the former key defender joining Shane Searle and Jason Hurst as assistant coaches.
Heaney doesn’t expect instant results. Rather, he is hoping for a return to finals action over the next few years.
‘‘We won three games last year and we won’t lose sight of that,’’ he says.
‘‘We aim for improvement. The pre-season indicates we have improved as a playing list, and in fitness.
‘‘Where that leaves us in regard to what other clubs have done, I don’t think we can say yet.’’
BACCHUS MARSH
Coach: Dave Callander
2011 home and away: eighth, five wins, 11 losses
Key arrivals: Charlton Butt (Werribee Amateurs), James Ross (Melton)
Key departures: Rhys McNay (overseas), Dennis O’Loughlin (Portland)
THINGS have changed at Maddingley Park. Coaches from other clubs are now factoring the Cobras into finals calculations.
A rise up the Ballarat Football League ladder from last to eighth in 2011 was convincing, not just from the pure numbers – although the improvement in percentage terms from 44.4 to 97.2 does illustrate a dramatic leap in competitiveness – but because it came from within.
Bacchus Marsh’s impressive junior program is finally beginning to translate into senior football performance.
A percentage of 97.2, but still only five wins, tells another story. The Cobras now need to convert good efforts into premiership points.
‘‘We still have the challenge of closing out games, winning them when we are in front,’’ Bacchus Marsh coach Dave Callander said.
‘‘It is a habit, winning, keeping composed when you are in front.
‘‘We still have to bridge that gap and we still have a way to go in understanding how opposition sides can hurt us. Our decision-making with the ball improved, as did playing to the game plan and our movement of the footy. But we still got exposed in terms of being able to stop the opposition when they had the ball. In simplified terms, our objective now is to make finals. That is the benchmark we have to achieve.’’
The absence of home-grown key position player Rhys McNay will hurt, but the Cobras gain former Samoan international soccer goalkeeper Pasi Schwalger, who joined last year but missed the season with injury and work commitments.
David van der Poel is back full-time and joins skipper Tyson Shea, Danny Abott and co.
‘‘We’ve trained terrifically this year,’’ Callander explains. ‘‘We’ve had more contested work, match simulation and a lot of full contact stoppage practice. The intensity is really strong and so is the fitness. We will ramp up ball movement work closer to the season.’’
– Ballarat Courier
