Fresh challenge for Power

THE 2006 TAC Cup season presents a unique challenge for the players and staff of the Gippsland Power club.
After 13 seasons the Power finally capped a successful season with a premiership and this year the players find themselves aiming for back-to-back flags.
The TAC Cup is unlike any other competition in that clubs automatically lose a huge chunk of playing personnel at the end of each season and need to rebuild the squad at the start of each year. Some clubs struggle with this and find themselves having to almost start from scratch at the beginning of the season.
The Power has overcome the transition of players out of the system with an effective development program that ensures there is a highly skilled, fit and motivated group of youngsters ready to join the remaining veterans at the start of the season.
Experienced players to remain on the Power list from last year include Ricky Delphine, Robert Eddy, Tyson Goldsack, Lachlan Hansen, Tom Johnson, Ben Ross, Jeff Ryan, Beau Vernon and Jaymie Youle. Others to have some exposure to the top under-18 competition last year include Nigel Benn, James Blaser, Hayden Browne, Chris Horstman, Ben Hughes, Ben Jostlear, Brent McCaffer, Joel Morgan and Marc Truscio.
With new arrivals the squad consists of about 70 players who are training two nights a week in Morwell and the club says their form is giving plenty of reason for optimism. The coaching panel, headed by Paul Hudson and fitness coordinator Les Ponton, has been working hard to prepare the squad for the physical and mental challenges of the TAC Cup and they have again set high performance standards. The panel has changed since 2005 with Andrew Dunkley adding his skill and vast AFL experience as an assistant coach in place of Tony Waters who will coach Fish Creek.
The action hasn’t been confined to the under-18 group and the club’s next talented under-16 squad goes through its own initiation process under coach Rob Reid.
The season opener will be a grand final replay against the Dandenong Stingrays at Morwell on Sunday, 2 April, starting at noon.