AND so the Casey Cardinia League lottery starts again and with it comes new hope that someone – anyone – can rise to the challenge and wrest the mantle of champions away from three-time premiership winners Narre Warren. Again each round will include a bye after a 12th club was unable to be found in the off season and again Pakenham will start as short-priced favourites to win the flag that they blew with a straight-sets finals exit last year. An influx of high-quality players, including former AFL stars Greg Tivendale and Chad Liddell, will likely see ROC and Tooradin improve dramatically, while the jury is still out on Berwick, Devon Meadows and Cranbourne. Five new coaches will take the reins of competition hopefuls this year with all looking to create their own history and end the Magpies era of domination.
Gazette football writer BRAD KINGSBURY takes a look at prospects for 2009.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Beaconsfield
NURSING its injured stars back to health and recruiting the right players was the pre-season focus for Beaconsfield coach Robbie Taylor and both priorities look to have been achieved.
Whether that translates into success this season will be up to them.
With the inclusion of Taylor himself, Chris Kelf, Lachlan Oakley and Daniel Calteri, the onus will lift from Andrew Williams, Daniel Mislicki and company, creating a more balanced and even skill base across the field.
On paper the Eagles look like serious 2009 final-five prospects, but that’s only if the injury curse does not strike again.
Coach Taylor said: “We’re obviously aiming for finals but it’s going to be a close competition with so many sides picking up players.
“If we can continue to work hard and start the season injury free, I would hope that we can be around the top five after about round six and then move to improve from there.
“There’s a different feel around the club this year and that’s been very pleasing.”
Key ins: Lachlan Oakley (Chelsea), Daniel Calteri, David White (Frankston VFL).
Key outs: Kym Jones, Kris Fletcher, Ash Comer.
Keys to success: Chris Kelf, Andrew Williams, Lachlan Oakley.
Rising star: Jesse Linkins.
Prediction: 4-6.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Berwick
Who knows what will happen at Berwick?
The Wickers are the most talked about, most rumoured, most vilified and most puzzling club in the league.
New coach Glenn Dale has brought a swag of recruits from outside the league to the Edwin Flack Reserve led by star forward Jason Heath, but had to prepare this new group with the stigma of a bitter internal power struggle surrounding them throughout pre-season.
That’s not ideal, especially for a side that finished tenth in 2008 and aspires to become a finals’ player this season.
The Wickers are an enigma, but unless there is some swift forgiving and forgetting, finals will not be on the agenda in 2009.
Coach Dale said: “Of course we want to improve on last year, but we want to make finals this year and I think that’s a real chance.
“I don’t think there’s a doubt about us having the players to do it, but we just have to put it together on the field.
“I’ve kept right out (of the off-field problems) and we’ve just concentrated on training and preparing for a successful football season.”
Key ins: Jason Heath, Shaun Calamatta, Grant Noonan (all EFL), Darren Granger (Bendigo Bombers), Dale Robinson (Lang Lang), Kris Fowler (Keysborough).
Key outs: George Gorozidis, Ronnie Burns, Daniel Charles, Riley Heddles and Maddison Andrews (both Stingrays).
Keys to success: Dale Robinson, Jason Heath, Grant Noonan, Darren Granger.
Rising star: Nathan Page.
Prediction: 9-11.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Cranbourne
The driving force behind Cranbourne is a long and revered history of success, but second-season coach Doug Koop is more interested in the Eagles creating their own history this year.
Koop has added strong youngster Curtis Barker to the side, along with former Eildon-Thornton coach and goalsneak Brad Coller, but whether that, plus the predicted improvement of his younger brigade will be enough to lift them into the five is the question.
Cranbourne looks a real threat this season and could sneak into the finals if everything falls its way.
Coach Koop said: “We want to improve on last year. We believe our players will be better than last year, but every club will be aiming to improve so we’re not making any big noises.
“We’ve picked up a couple of players, no big names, and our depth will be better this season.
“We want to try and get a couple of early wins up and stay positive. Then it’s up to us to manage the list to have them playing their best football at the right time of the year.”
Key ins: Curtis Barker (Frankston VFL), Brad Coller (Thornton-Eildon), Brett McMaster (Bealiba).
Key outs: Ryan Davey.
Keys to success: Marc Holt, Ray George, Curtis Barker.
Rising star: Matthew Fletcher.
Prediction: 5-7.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Devon Meadows
Second year coach Steve O’Brien is relying on substantial improvement from his young list, together with a big impact from a fit Aaron Henneman and star recruit Daniel Rigg.
Last season was a starting point in the Panthers quest to learn how to win again and O’Brien is well aware that the competition is improving all the time.
Opposition coaches know that Devon Meadows is either very good or very bad and have historically taken full toll of the Panthers’ bad quarters.
Until they narrow the gap between their best and worst, finals football will elude the Glover Reserve, but any side that takes them lightly could live to regret it.
Coach O’Brien said: “We have a bit more depth with young players coming through and the improvement will come from the players that are here.
“The players have set their own standards now and the competition will be even this year and I think we can realistically aim for finals.”
Key ins: Daniel Rigg (Noble Park), Ryan Murphy (Phillip Island).
Key outs: Matthew Davey, Daniel Mullen, Stefan Baumgartner (Stingrays).
Keys to success: Aaron Henneman, Jesse Dehey, Daniel Rigg.
Rising star: Dale Alanis.
Prediction: 7-9.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Doveton
The post 2008 season was disrupted by the sacking off last year’s coach Tom Hallinan and appointment of long-serving club captain Clint Wilson to the top job.
Since then things have run fairly smoothly.
An injection of class via big-marking Russell Gabriel and former Dove junior Ben Hoskin, with the added bonus of a fit and keen Justin Hill, together with the return of smart midfi`elder Daniel Charles, gives Wilson a list capable of matching any opponent in the competition on paper.
Hallinan and Ryan Brown are the major losses, but they look to be covered and the only downside is the Doves’ habit of self-destructing from within that will be Wilson’s biggest challenge as they push for a top-two position.
Coach Wilson said: “We want to finish in the top couple, that’s our aim.
“Everyone’s up and running and there’s a good feel about it this year.
“The standard of training has picked up with blokes like Russell Gabriel and Hosk (Ben Hoskin) at the club and the attitude has been real good over pre-season.
“I think we can have a real crack at it this year.”
Key ins: Russell Gabriel (Frankston VFL), Ben Hoskin (Noble Park), Daniel Charles (Berwick), Corrie Wilson (Nyora).
Key outs: Ryan Brown, Tom Hallinan, Rohan Scott.
Keys to success: Ryan Hendy, Russell Gabriel, Ricky Hayes.
Rising star: Michael Laszczyk.
Prediction: 1-3.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Hampton Park
The Redbacks are the hardest side to line up.
Last season many wrote them off and, in typical determined fashion, they did a Teddy Whitten and ‘stuck it right up ’em’ by finishing fifth and then winning their first final.
Again there has been off-season dramas with Jason Caples suddenly departing as coach in January, along with young guns David Biagi and Jack Besley, leaving loyal playmaker Josh Taylor to pick up the pieces in the top job.
That said, it would be foolish to underestimate Hampton Park this year.
The inclusion of star forward Matt Shorey will strengthen the goal-to-goal line and the youngsters at the Booth Reserve will be better with last season under their belts.
The Redbacks are most dangerous with their backs to the wall, but a lack of depth may put another finals’ appearance on hold this year.
Coach Taylor said: “Development, that’s my main aim.
“I will cop a slight fall away from last year if it means that, in two years time, we are as good or better than last year and still moving forward.
“Just the same, I don’t think we’ll be far off the top five and the kids coming through are the most exciting bunch I have seen at this club for many years.”
Key ins: Matt Shorey (Garfield).
Key outs: Jack Besley, David Biagi, Sean Winsall.
Keys to success: Linden and Sheldon Fredericks, Matt Shorey, Ryan Simpson.
Rising star: Brady White.
Prediction: 6-9.
