IT’S been a case of most cards holding their cards close to their chest ahead of the 2014 Division 3 season.
Aside from Reservoir – who has made its top-two ambitions publicly known – most Division 3 clubs have been happy to deflect attention from themselves going into the new season.
Runner-up by the barest of margins in 2013, Watsonia heads into 2014 with a new club and without six of its stars from last year.
Third-placed Thomastown has also lost a number of key players – most noticeably club legend Michael Manley who has transferred to Berwick to play closer to home.
St Mary’s looms as a big improver under new coach Con Borg. Simon Kefalas heads a list of senior players to have joined the Burra over the off-season.
After struggling in 2014, Parkside and Heidelberg West will hope for better fortunes in the new season.
Continue below to see how your club is shaping ahead of the 2014 season.
HEIDELBERG WEST
Coach: Derek Shaw
Last year: 1 win – 15 losses (seventh)
IN: Nicholas Lewis (Mitiamo), Thomas Griffin (Monash Griffin), Thomas Waters (Monash Blues), Ben Marris (La Trobe Uni), Mitchell Reeve (Macleod), Leigh Taylor (La Trobe Uni)
OUT: Damien Duff (Bulleen Templestowe)
Worth noting: A youth policy was installed during Derek Shaw’s first season in charge of Heidelberg West. In 2013, the Hawks’ senior side fielded 14 players under 21 years of age throughout the year. Furthermore, nine of the 2013 under-19s playing list had a taste of senior football.
PARKSIDE
Coach: George Lattouf
Last year: 4 wins – 12 losses (sixth)
IN: Jason Cousins (Reservoir), Ty Dummett (Panton Hill), Peter Halaris (Thierry Penola), Brad McGillian (Box Hill North), Chris Troy (Coldstream), Bryan Vance (Marong), Luke Walsh (Macleod)
OUT: Billy Hogan (Port Melbourne), Tim Lekkas (Redcliffe), Chris Smith (Doncaster), Ahmad Taha (Romsey), Ali Wannouch (Wallan), Jayden Wendt (Macleod)
Coach says: “The team I’m building down at Parkside is all about playing for each other and the team aspect of it. The new guys have all fit in well”
RESERVOIR
Coach: Ross Terranova
Last year: 10 wins – 7 losses (fourth)
IN: Daniel Couwenberg (Pascoe Vale), Danny Delchano (University), Steve Ennis (Silvan), Joel Goodyear (Glenroy), Michael Mannix (Pascoe Vale), David McGregor (Port Melbourne), Brendan Meroli (Pascoe Vale), Danny O’Sullivan (Pascoe Vale)
OUT: Jason Cousins (Parkside), Jarrod Skinner (Nyah Nyah West), Andrew Wallace (Pascoe Vale), Dallas King (Yinnar)
Coach says: “I don’t expect anything less than a top-two finish. We’ve looked at things and we’ve got good blokes that can play good footy around the club, we’ve got A-Grade footballers. There’s been a bit of change in mindset but, in reality, we just weren’t good enough last year.”
SOUTH MORANG
Coach: Craig Lambert (new)
Last year: 1 wins – 17 losses (relegated from Division 2)
IN: Ashley Hobbs (Euroa), James Gebert (Diamond Creek), Sean Kirby (Craigieburn), Joseph Knight (Northern Saints), Chris Sankovic (Northern Saints), Stephen Sankovic (Northern Saints)
OUT: Anthony Bonaddio (West Preston-Lakeside), Luke Inzillo (Hadfield),
James Maraschiello (St Mary’s)
Coach says: “The mood around the group has been really positive. From the outside looking in, you wouldn’t know the boys have been relegated, they’ve all been really upbeat. The aim is to play finals football and be competitive. Anything more is a bonus.”
ST MARY’S
Coach: Con Borg (new)
Last year: 5 wins – 1 draw – 10 losses (fifth)
IN: Dylan Flannery (Lower Plenty), Luke Gaylor (Watsonia), Jason Grgic (Northcote Park), Simon Kefalas (Epping), Jarrod Shaw (Lower Plenty), Timothy Walsh (Lower Plenty)
OUT: Haydn Bryce (Panton Hill), Chris Petroro (Romsey), Dillan Ronalds (Lower Plenty)
Coach says: “I’ve made it pretty clear that anything but finals will be a failure. I’m not going to sit here and say that we’re going to finish in the top two or make a Grand Final, but I think we have to aim for the top four and I don’t think that’s unrealistic. To win the club’s first ever final would definitely be on the cards.”
THOMASTOWN
Coach: Dean Sinclair (new)
Last year: 11 wins – 1 draw – 6 losses (third)
IN: Justin Di Battista (Northern Blues), Joseph Merlo (Northern Saints), Salvatore Merlo (Northern Saints), Daniel Stephens (Coburg Districts), Chris Zabrieszach (Thomastown)
OUT: Josh Beare (West Preston-Lakeside), Michael Khoury (Nhill), Michael Manley (Berwick), Jack Lea (Fitzroy), Osama Saad (Nhill), Nathan Sammit (West Preston-Lakeside)
Coach says: “They’re difficult areas to fill because the big fellas and the older guys with a bit of experience like that don’t come cheap. We’re just relying on a huge few blokes to hopefully step it up a bit this year.”
WATSONIA
Coach: Damian Zanic (new)
Last year: 12 wins – 7 losses (runner-up)
IN: Joseph Abbas (Thomastown), Ben Anderson (Greenvale), Steven Goodwin (Lalor), Travis Hayes (Caramut), Jarrod Magann (Northern Blues), Mark Roumanos (Lalor)
OUT: Daley Bear (Coffs Swans), Lochie Dornauf (Wangaratta), Fraser Elliott (Wangaratta), Tony Hogg (Hurstbridge), Brody Ricardi (Myrtleford), Tom Walliss (Northcote Park)
Coach says: “The vibe around the place has been pretty good despite losing the Grand Final by a point, which was obviously disappointing. The boys have moved on, the club has moved on and we’re hoping for bigger and better things this year."
