THERE is something ominous about the way Newtown & Chilwell is building towards the season.
It has plugged holes with sound recruiting, retained the bulk of its list and expects big things from a core group of Colts graduates blitzing pre-season training.
“Absolutely we’re looking to improve on last year,” coach David Wojcinski said yesterday.
“We finished fourth (on the ladder), we want to finish higher than that. The goal is definitely to finish in the top-three but there’s four, five, six other sides pushing for the same thing.
“We’ve got to make sure that whatever we’re doing, we’re doing it right and we’re being as professional and as committed as we can to make sure we’re right up there as one of the top sides.”
Last year’s elimination final exit wasn’t an accurate reflection of the Eagles’ potential.
So tight was the battle for a top-three spot, Newtown & Chilwell was second on the ladder entering the final round, only to drop its final game of the season, slip to fourth and get knocked over by a Colac side that steamrollered its way from fifth to win the premiership.
Wojcinski said the club recruited with purpose, not a scattergun approach. Favourite son Rob Condy returns from St Mary’s, along with his brother Michael.
Daniel O’Keefe has crossed from Geelong West-St Peter’s and can play anywhere from small defender, midfielder to goal sneak, while Hayden Smith has joined the club where his father carved out a decorated senior career.
But former AFL big man David Fanning’s arrival could be the missing link in their premiership puzzle, filling the ruck void Newtown desperately needed fixed.
The departures are few. David McVilly has retired but will stay involved, Justin Perkins will play at Waverley Blues and Michael Foster returns to Beaufort.
But the hidden jewel at Elderslie Reserve will be untapped youth, including young guns Cam Fowler, Harry Dalton, Jayden Brach and Oscar Doyle.
“With our recruiting, we obviously targeted certain players we wanted to get in to improve our weaknesses,” Wojcinski said.
“But the other thing is our Colts had a pretty good year and we’ve got five or six coming up from last year who have been just training the house down.
“We couldn’t be any happier with them. They’ve trained their bums off. They’re really pushing the older guys along, which is really healthy for the footy club.”
Last Modified on 16/03/2015 16:54