MACLEOD will enjoy the added expectations this season after a breakthrough 2014 campaign, according to senior coach Garry Ramsay.
The Roos last season ended their 42-year Division 1 finals drought in style, toppling 2013 grand finalists Bundoora and Montmorency in successive weeks before being defeated by eventual premiers Greensborough in the preliminary final.
That defeat was Macleod’s sole loss to Greensborough throughout 2014, with the Kangaroos joining Heidelberg as the only two clubs to defeat the dominant Boro last season.
Speaking to NFL.org.au, Ramsay says his players must change their mindset in 2015 as they will no longer catch other sides in the competition by surprise.
“We can no longer play the underdog tag,” Ramsay said. “It’s not okay just to compete anymore; there are no more honourable losses.
“The expectation around the club from supporters, the committee and the players themselves is a lot higher than it’s ever been…we’ve got to enjoy that.”
Macleod is well placed to build on the solid foundation laid throughout the 2014 season, with star Whittlesea half-forward Lucas Hobbs joining over the summer.
Hobbs – who booted 197 goals in 93 games with the Eagles – will be joined at De Winton Park by Jack Bianchin, who returns to Macleod after spending the previous two seasons with Mernda and SEQAFL outfit Coolangatta Tweed.
Although Hobbs and Bianchin will be welcome additions to the side, Ramsay says that recruitment was not a high priority for Macleod this off-season.
“It (recruitment) wasn’t our goal – our goal was to improve the list that we currently have,” Ramsay said.
“We have a young group…our goal is to breed our own A-graders.”
Ramsay believes that Joel Kidd, Matt Yarwood and Josh Henkel are prime examples of homegrown talent who are ready to take Division 1 by storm.
“I think those three are not far off being recognised as A-graders of the competition…they fit the bill well,” Ramsay said.
Macleod has shown steady improvement under Ramsay in each of his two seasons at the helm and the club intends to improve even further this season.
“We want to improve on last year,” Ramsay said. “We want to win more than ten games in the home-and-away season; we won ten last year so that will be our first team goal.
“Our fitness and our skill level has improved (over pre-season). If we want to play a fast, running brand of football we need to be fit and we also need to kick the ball well.”
However, Ramsay admits that it is not going to be easy for his side to replicate last season’s third-place finish.
“I see it being a very even competition and I think it’s going to be a real fine line between finishing up the top and finishing down lower,” Ramsay said.
“A lot of sides have recruited well…it will be very open.”
The Roos will open 2015 against newly promoted North Heidelberg at Shelly Street on April 11 before challenging assignments against 2014 grand finalists Greensborough and Heidelberg on Anzac Day.
