It’s been a long, tough pre-season on the track for Melton Football Club.
Looking to play Ballarat Football League finals for the first time in 11 years, the Bloods have been on the track since early November, with the club holding nearly 30 training sessions since then.
Bloods coach Brad Murphy says he wants the side to be as fit as possible to try and bridge the gap with the top sides.
“I don’t want any more excuses,” he said. “We want to give ourselves the best possible chance of going as far as we can in finals. The fitter you are the more likely you can match it with the top sides.”
Murphy said the end to last season was initially disappointing with the Bloods finishing eighth – missing finals by one game.
“We lost by less than a goal against Bacchus Marsh. We lost to the top three sides by a combined 14 points. If we’d won those games we would have made finals. There was such a little gap but at the same time a big gap.
“In the long run, I’m happy that we didn’t make finals, I don’t think the side had the maturity needed; they’re a lot hungrier this season.”
One area the Bloods have looked to address is scoreboard pressure with the side last season eighth in points ‘for’.
Several of the Bloods’ new recruits will play in the forward half to take pressure off Braedan Kight.
“We’ve added six guys full-time who have played some VFL,” Murphy said.
“We know we had to target key-position players. Brad Jamison [football manager] put a lot of time into getting them to the club and we’re lucky they’ve signed.
“Angus Grigg is six-foot-four and Ben Archard, a state league player, has been really good, as has Matthew Huckstepp.
“They’re three guys who are 194cm who can kick goals and have been really impressive at training. It’s been great for the other guys.”
Other signings include Dylan Kight, Matthew Poland and Tom Button.
Murphy, who played six games last season said he won’t be playing this year, while Lachlan Sidebottom has moved away from the area for work. Matthew Notman has put in a clearance to arch-rivals Melton South, but Murphy said he was contracted to the club and was still a required player.
The Bloods start their season in a stand-alone match against Melton South on April 8. The game will be former AFL star Brendan Fevola’s first game at the Panthers.
