The new Watsonia playing-coach faces one of the toughest assignments in the Northern Football as he tries to make the Saints a force in the competition again.
Watsonia entered the third division after a winless 2010 campaign and has been victorious in just three games over the past two years. It won the first game of the 2012 season by 52 points but lost its remaining 15 matches to finish with the wooden spoon.
Dornauf has been handed the challenge of turning the club’s fortunes around and he’s certainly made a mark in his first off-season with the club.
Training numbers have nearly doubled and Dornauf expects his team to be almost unrecognisable from the one that stepped out on the field last season.
“It’s nearly a fresh list, a brand new list,” he told NFL.org.au.
“There was 79 at last count going for a senior game, that’s reserves and seniors. That number is without counting more signings to come when uni students come back and I’ve still got a few of them to sign.
“It’s going to be a brand new group, but still with some very good players from last year as well.”
Watsonia has retained 2012 captain Jeremy Bennett and best and fairest winner Matthew Crompton, while former club favourites Shane Hodgson and Tony Hogg have returned home to A.K. Lines Reserve.
Former Macleod best and fairest winner Brendan Cottier has also joined the Saints, while Dornauf himself will slot into the midfield after winning two consecutive club best and fairest awards at Heathcote and La Trobe over the past two seasons.
Promisingly, a host of Dornauf’s close football friends have also followed him to Watsonia, ensuring the Saints are a far fresher side than in recent seasons gone by.
Dornauf said the addition of so many new faces had boosted the morale around the club enormously.
“The committee members and the players that were down there over the last two years had been down in the dumps a little bit, but getting a bunch of young players and a young coach in brings enthusiasm and we’re gearing ourselves for a positive year,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to the future, rather than dwelling on the past.”
At an age where most players are simply trying to find their feet in senior football, Dornauf knows that many will question if a man so young is capable of leading a football club.
However, it’s not a problem he is fazed by.
“Respect is earned and hopefully I’m ticking all of the right boxes so far,” he said.
“Everything is looking pretty good and we’ve got lots of numbers down at training, showing support in numbers.
“(Coaching) has been quite eye-opening and a lot bigger responsibility that can be imagined but I’ve got great people down at the club who have been helping out and the committee and all of the players have been quite respectful.
“That’s made the transition pretty easy.”
Dornauf wouldn’t offer a prediction on where the Saints could be expected to finish this year, stating that assessments would only be made once the new side had begun playing competitive matches together.
“I don’t really like to put any directives or expectation on where I think we’ll finish this year, or whether there’s going to be success or not,” he said.
“I think we will assess all of that a couple of games into the season but what I do know is that it is a brand new group and I am confident that we’ll be improved.”
Watsonia will fancy its chances of starting the season on a winning note when it takes on Heidelberg West at Heidelberg Park in Round 1. The Hawks remain the only team Watsonia has beaten since joining Division 3.
