The Stars were the surprise packet of Division 2 last year, reaching their first finals series since joining the Northern Football League in 2008.
They comfortably accounted for Diamond Creek in their first finals appearance before bowing out to North Heidelberg in a tight preliminary final.
Despite narrowly missing out on a maiden Grand Final berth, the season finished on a high with skipper Lionel Proctor winning his second competition best and fairest award.
Speaking on the eve of the 2013 season, Minton-Connell said it was now imperative the Stars got another taste of finals action this year.
“If we didn’t make finals we’d consider it really disappointing and a failure,” Minton-Connell told NFL.org.au.
“It showed last year that you’ve got to finish in the top two if you really want to give (winning a premiership) a crack. We’d love to be there but finals are our ambition and then work from there.”
The Stars flew out of the blocks in 2012, winning their opening five games of the season. They ended the home and away season with 12 wins and a fourth-placed finish, with only percentage keeping them from third.
Minton-Connell concedes his club snuck under the radar of the competition last year and said the Stars were working hard in the off-season knowing greater expectation will be placed upon them this year.
“We’ve had terrific numbers at training and we’ve probably added five to our list so we don’t think we’ve gone backwards and we’re hoping to take the next step,” he said.
“I think Division 2 is just really, really improving a lot and you can’t stand still in this competition.
“I suppose the expectations are higher this year than last year. We might have got under the guard of a couple of sides but we know this year they’re expecting something a little bit tougher and better so it will be an interesting year for us.”
Minton-Connell said the Stars had gleaned great confidence out of last year’s finals campaign. And despite not featuring in the last game of the season, he said last year’s Grand Final was a further confidence booster that his side should again be in premiership contention.
“We got within eight points of North late in the prelim after giving them an 11-goal start,” he said.
“To then see North play so well (in the Grand Final) and possibly should have won it showed that we’re there or thereabouts.
“The boys have got a taste of (finals) and you don’t want to say grand finals or premierships but I reckon we’ve got a group that can go a fair way.”
One new face in the Stars’ camp is Corey Wanganeen who will help fill the void left by his brother Josh who has left the club in the off-season.
The club also hopeful of securing ruckman Clint ‘Nungas’ Edwards from Shepparton United which will bolster the Stars’ tall stocks and help it against bigger sides like flag-favourite Whittlesea.
Minton-Connell revealed work was now complete on the club’s home ground at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval, with the club set to play home matches at the ground once grass had grown adequately on the oval.
The Stars’ general manager said the club had earmarked its third home match – the Round 6 clash against Lalor – as its return to its spiritual home.
“I think we’ll play two games at Victoria Park and then our third game will be there,” Minton-Connell said.
“We’ve sort of pencilled in our Lalor game and if it’s earlier than that then it’s great.
“It will be a terrific day when we the chance to play back there for the first time in about 20-odd years.
“That’s the spiritual home of the Fitzroy Stars and it’s so important we get back there.”
The Stars begin their 2013 season with an away game to Hurstbridge in Round 1.
