Banyule coach Paul Harris believes the improvement of his club’s young stars will drive the Bears to greater success after last year’s A Plus Labour Solutions Division 2 grand final loss.
Harris guided Banyule to the top of the A Plus Labour Solutions Division 2 ladder in his first season at the helm. But on Grand Final day they were outclassed by a resurging Whittlesea side, who booked its spot in Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 with a 27-point win.
Harris is confident that experience can spur the Bears to go one step further in 2020.
“Playing a finals series, including a game on such a big stage at Preston City Oval, will only act as a positive for us,” Harris told NFNL.org.au.
“Plenty of young guys got a lot of experience out of it, so we expect our young players to go to another level this year.
“I think last year we started off great with a solid patch of wins and then some may say we fell into a slump and never truly recovered from it.
“This year we’re looking to start off strong and then to keep on building and maintaining that form throughout the year to give us the best chance at success.”
Banyule will enter 2020 without veterans Scott Gumbleton and Adam Barclay, who have both hung up the boots after distinguished careers.
Both played pivotal roles in Banyule claiming its first premiership in the NFNL, with Gumbleton winning best afield honours in the 2017 Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 Grand Final win.
However, ex-Essendon players Brent Stanton and Ricky Dyson will continue to play for the Bears in season 2020.
“‘Stants’ is free to play around the same amount as last season, which is about 10 or 11 games when his coaching doesn’t get in the way,” Harris said.
“Ricky Dyson is now freed up to play full time with us and has brought his brother-in-law Michael Gravina from Thomastown down with him, so that’s a massive get for us.”
Banyule will be boosted by more new recruits, with Gravina joining Liam Jacob, Reece Cotter, Patrik Della Rocca, Lincoln Sieben, Jack Rowston in making Beverley Rd Oval home in 2020, while premiership defender Nick Biscontin has returned from a year abroad.
“Liam Jacob will play as a tall back for us and will be a really dynamic player. He’ll give us great flexibility, along with the return of Nick Biscontin, who was the full back in the Division 2 Team of the Year in 2018,” Harris said.
“They’ll allow us to free up the likes of Jack Langford and Devin McDonald throughout the season, which will make spots very competitive.
“Reece Cotter has come down from Barwon and will slot in nicely. Lincoln Sieben trained with us in the back half of last season and has committed to us fully now. He’s also brought down his mate Jack Rowston – both will add to our great amount of talent coming through from the ages of 19 to 22.”
The emerging talent coming through the junior and under-19 ranks has given Harris plenty to be excited about for the club’s long-term future.
Patrik Della Rocca, who “hasn’t missed a beat since coming back to train”, and Adam Carafa, a “talented player who was very unlucky not to be drafted”, will add to a pack of young players that already includes Kye Yodgee, Nick Mayne, Artan Cabdi and 2019 A Plus Labour Solutions Division 2 best and fairest Riley Loton.
“Kye Yodgee played his first full year of senior footy with us last season so he can only go to another level this year with more games and experience under his belt,” Harris said.
“Nick Mayne and Arty Cabdi have both come back in really good nick and Riley Loton has been training with the Richmond VFL squad, so hopefully he can get onto their list.”
The retirement of Gumbleton has seen the captaincy reins handed to club stalwart Devin McDonald. The leadership group will also feature Daniel Kelly, Michael Italia, Jack Langford and Riley Loton.
“Devin was the obvious choice for the captaincy. He’s a Banyule man through andthrough, he just loves the club,” Harris said.
“He unselfishly went to full back last year because we needed him to and ended up being named in the 2019 Team of the Year, which shows his versatility but also his love for the club.
“The rest of the leadership group was pretty straightforward to select. Dan Kelly, Mick Italia and Jack Langford were really good in the role last year and Riley Loton was a clear candidate – he’s the next young leader rising up, so he’s earnt his spot.”
Harris praised his players for a solid pre-season, saying he has been blown away by the lofty fitness levels the group has presented itself in, as well as the strong turnout from the club’s under-19s players.
He said the club was well prepared to launch into a busy schedule of practice matches.
“We’re playing Division 1 sides Bundoora and Hurstbridge, so it’ll be good to have a great hit out and to test ourselves against top-tier teams,” Harris said.
“We then play East Keilor from the Essendon District Football League, so that’ll give us plenty of time to get into good form so that we can hit the ground running against Fitzroy Stars in Round 1.”
Harris labelled Eltham, Diamond Creek and Thomastown as sides that will be fighting for the flag in 2020.
He also cited St Mary’s, Fitzroy Stars and Lower Plenty as danger teams, with the former’s strong finish to 2019 and the latter’s experience after playing in Division 1 last season making them forces to be reckoned with.
Despite the fierce competition, Harris has rather simple goals for his side in 2020.
“Our goal is to continue improving. We’ve got a great batch of young kids between the ages of 19 to 22 coming through, so another year of senior footy will help us massively and should only make us play better.”
Banyule’s 2020 campaign will kick off on April 4 against Fitzroy Stars at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval.
