HURSTBRIDGE coach Jono Manzoney believes his club is building the structures needed for long-term success, following a three-year settling-in period in Division 2.
Preparing for his second year at the helm, Manzoney said the Bridges were aiming to model themselves on the more successful clubs in a quest to move up the Division 2 ladder.
“All those basic systems that everyone talks about at successful places is what we’re putting in place to try and gain that success,” Manzoney told NFL.org.au.
“That’s what we’re about, just finding new ways to train and new opportunities to train.
“The bottom line is that the whole league, and all local leagues, are semi-professional now (and) everyone is working harder.
“If you want to be successful in any of the three divisions then you’ve got to step up your game.”
Manzoney’s debut season was one of marked improvement for the Bridges who finished with five wins and a percentage of 80.
Although five wins from 18 games appears modest on first glance, it was a much better result than 2012 – when the club miraculously avoided relegation with just three wins and a percentage of only 62.
Only an upset Round 18 win over Fitzroy Stars kept the Bridges from falling to Division 3 for the 2013 season and now, 18 months on, Manzoney believes his club has a lot to look forward to.
“It’s an exciting time I might imagine for the Hurstbridge Football Club, for players, certainly coaches and, I would imagine, for supporters as well,” he said.
“It’s a good solid club who want to move forward, which is a real positive.
“When I arrived the playing group was crying out for information. They wanted to learn and they still do.
“They’re a really driven group of players which is always going to be a positive for a coach.”
The Bridges will head into the 2014 season with a vastly more experienced side than the one that Manzoney first took charge of.
The club has focused on recruiting players in their mid-20s to help bring experience to a list that featured a handful of under-19 players who had played 40-50 senior games.
The hope is the addition of more experienced players will create a more competitive environment on the training track as players fight for their spot in the team.
“A big part of our focus for our football club’s future is to get that depth on the list where it’s a constant requirement to earn your spot,” Manzoney said.
“When I got to the club I think the average age on our list was 20½ so it was a real key focus for us to get some experience and bigger bodies in there.”
The club’s biggest addition in the pre-season has been Michael Ryan (pictured below left, with Manzoney), a premiership winner with both Lower Plenty and Bundoora over the past three years.
Ryan joined Hurstbridge as a playing assistant soon after the Bulls claimed last season’s Division 1 premiership and has fast become a favourite amongst his new teammates.
“Chopper (Ryan) is a real stand-up fella,” Manzoney said.
“He’s really focused and energetic and has seamlessly transitioned across to Hurstbridge. You would’ve thought he’d been there for 10 years already.
“He’s been absolutely faultless up to now and I can only see him getting better on and off the field.
“He’s a real standard setter in term of training, which has really helped some of the group.”
Along with Ryan, Manzoney said he is looking forward to watching new recruit Louis Kennedy-Ripon in action. The key tall joined from Queensland side Curra Swans after a stint in the army and will add a physical element to his new club.
Also on board are Greensborough forward Aron Burns and brothers Bryce and Dylan Atkins. Bryce has missed the best part of two seasons after breaking his leg in 2012, while Dylan joins after stints with Greensborough, Diamond Creek and, most recently, Lower Plenty.
Manzoney said reigning club champion Ben Fennell had left with the club’s best wishes after signing with Montmorency.
The star midfielder is also trialling with Collingwood’s VFL side, while a number of other Bridges have completed the pre-season with fellow VFL side the Northern Blues.
With the season just over a month away, Mazoney said he was expecting a fairly even Division 2 competition in 2014.
He said the side’s who could manage their lists best could well be the ones featuring in September, although he said his team would be focusing on the short term for the time being.
“The key focus for us is to continually improve and that’s the bottom line.
“I’ve told the players we really will focus on week to week.
“Our focus each year is to continually improve the way we play football and I believe if we continue to improve the way we play football the results will end up speaking for themselves.”
Hurstbridge takes on local rival Diamond Creek at Coventry Oval in Round 1.
