Northcote Park men’s football coach Stephen Saddington is confident his club will enter the 2022 campaign in much better position than last year as it prepares to lift itself off the Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 canvas.
The Cougars are looking to respond to a difficult 2021 season, which saw them finish bottom of the ladder with a 0-12 record.
But having maintained their place in the top-flight, the Cougars have enjoyed plenty of positive change during the off-season and have substantially added to their playing stocks with the addition of a dozen recruits.
Speaking to NFNL.org.au, Saddington said the club would enter this season in much better shape than last year.
“We’ve recruited a few guys in and a few guys have come back,” Saddington said.
“We really struggled the year before and depth was our problem completely, we just didn’t have the depth.
“Our twos are something we really concentrated on, but we’ve ended up getting some really top-end talent in and back.
“We’re pretty much at full strength at the moment and things are going well, plenty of optimism around the place.
“This time last year we had two of our better players that had surgery on their hands and on their fingers, as in the captain Paul (Dirago) and a recruit.”
Among the new players who will call Bill Lawry Oval home this year are Jordan Schroder and Alex Boyse, who have joined from Essendon Doutta Stars.
Schroder adds AFL experience to the Cougars’ midfield, having played five games for Geelong between 2012 and 2014.
Both he and Boyse also played for Essendon’s VFL side, with Boyse kicking 53 goals in 33 appearances for the Bombers.
Saddington said the duo had set the standard on the training track over summer and could make a big impact on the field.
“You can tell that they’ve both played at a higher level. They set some pretty high standards whether it’s their running or whether it’s when we’ve got the footballs,” Saddington said.
“They’re two completely different types of players and they’re best mates so we got them together at the same time.
“They’re both elite and when you add two elite players to your side it takes a little bit of heat off the next group below them because they’re not getting much pressure on them.”
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In more positive news for Northcote Park, two-time best and fairest Jordan Perry returns after spending the 2021 season with Marcellin, where he was crowned club champion.
The three-time NFNL representative and 2017 Division 1 Coaches MVP returns to the Cougars along with younger brother Lucas, who last year claimed the VAFA’s Under-19 Division 2 best and fairest.
“They’re Northcote people through and through so to get them two back as one-pointers as well has been awesome. Their family ties go back 20 years to the club,” Saddington said.
“They’d seen that the club didn’t win many games, but they saw the club’s going in the right direction again and they were two of the first ones to put their hand up and come straight back when the season was about to get started again.”
Among the other recruits Saddington is excited to see in action about are ex-Echuca United forward Mitch Jones and emerging ruckman Matt D’Angelo.
“(Jones) is the fittest guy I’ve almost ever seen at the moment,” Saddington said.
“His running has pushed the other guys to the next level. He’ll play as a small forward, pressuring and playing high up the ground.
“(D’Angelo) is not as tall and big-bodied as the rest, but he’s got a huge leap.”
Saddington said skipper Paul Dirago was training well after an injury-interrupted 2021, while Ben Augustus was tracking well following a shoulder reconstruction.
Despite being confident his side had improved considerably since last year, Saddington believes Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 could be an even tougher competition this season.
“I think this’ll be the best comp in Vic Metro this year just with how even it is,” he said.
“If we were the worst side last year, which we were, and seeing how much we’ve improved, I think the comp’s going to be awesome. You’re going to have to be at your best at any given day.
“Our goal is to stay up and who knows what happens after that and then you build on that afterwards.”
Northcote Park will take on Monash Blues and Seymour in practice matches this month, before travelling to Montmorency in the opening round of the home and away season.
