DESPITE a large exodus of experienced premiership players from its list over the summer, Heidelberg has been able to regenerate and reach its 10th Grand Final in 11 years.
This Saturday the Tigers take on their oldest foe when they meet Greensborough at Preston City Oval.
NFL media manager Samuel Zito caught up with the club’s coach Craig Hunter, as he aims to emulate his previous successes in 2004 and 2006.
SAMUEL ZITO: There was a considerable turnover in the playing list over the summer, with many premiership legends leaving the club. You must be proud to make the Grand Final with such a new list.
CRAIG HUNTER: The guys that we’ve brought in have gelled really well and the younger guys who have played a fair bit of footy this year have picked up the slack pretty much this year. It’s been really good.
SZ: You won two premierships (2004 and 2006) in an earlier stint as coach of the club. How do you compare this team to those in the club’s glory years?
CH: I see a lot of similarities, certainly early days and maybe even before 2004. We brought a heap of new players into the club and they were all young, pretty much like they are now. It took us a few years leading into 2004 when it all kicked off, but certainly the spirit within the group and the way they have all gelled I certainly see similarities. Like everyone, if you had have asked us 12 months ago if we’d be playing in a Grand Final, we probably would have said no. As the year went on and as pre-season went on, we saw the numbers we had, we saw the quality of people we had and we were reasonably bullish about how we’d go. Certainly our intention was to make finals and go from there.
SZ: To make 10 Grand Finals in 11 years is an incredible effort in such an even competition. What is it that makes the Heidelberg Football Club maintain great success?
CH: The whole club has been fantastic in the way it operates. 39 guys have played senior footy this year which is a great achievement in itself. There is a lot of depth around the club. Although our seconds got beaten on the weekend, we’ve probably got a squad of about 29 guys in the senior squad. The whole club as a collective has been really strong and we’re really happy to be a chance of winning another flag.
SZ: You must take in great confidence having beaten Greensborough in all three encounters this year, albeit by small margins.
CH: All our games have been close this year – we’re just happy Whittlesea didn’t make it! We’re under no illusions and every game against Greensborough has been a tight one. It’s such an even competition and I think us, Greensborough and Macleod were probably the three best sides for the year. Any one of us on the day was capable of winning it. We’ll have to be at our absolute best if we’re going to beat Boro.
SZ: Has winning so many close games instilled greater belief in the group?
CH: The close wins have built belief throughout the season, there is no doubt about that. The players have a belief in themselves that they can win from any position. We’ve been behind a fair bit in the last four or five games of the year and again in the second semi. Saying that, you don’t want to be going to the well too many times. It would be nice to be four or five goals up, rather than four or five goals down.
SZ: Defensively the group has been sound this year, led by Jason Kennedy and Ben Cosgriff. You’ve obviously emphasised the importance of a strong defence over this season.
CH: ‘Kenno’ as captain has led us unbelievably well and Ben’s year has been outstanding. We really focused at the start of the year on the defensive side of the game with so many young guys in the side. The natural instinct of youngsters is that they can all attack but we were really conscious of being defensively focused. That’s certainly helped us get to the position we’re in now and was a real focus in the pre-season, to have a really sound defence not just within the back six but right across the field.
SZ: You must be pleased with the way the middle-tier players have taken the next step this year?
CH: We always were fairly confident in that group of players and all they were lacking was some opportunity. Masaki Miki, Crispy (Aaron Crispe), Harley Mozdzierz – there are quite a few of them, including those who won’t be playing on the weekend, but are in the same boat. They have had a good taste of senior footy this year and moving on from 2014 will hold us in good stead for the future as well.
SZ: Chaz Sargeant played in the reserves a fortnight ago. Is he one player who may be pushing for selection this week?
CH: Yes he’ll play, he’s in our best 22. We’re not 100 per cent sure who will go out yet and that’s a decision we’ve got to make, but Chaz will play.
SZ: Have you decided on a match-up for Tim Bongetti who returns for the Boro this week?
CH: It will by Cosy (Cosgriff) or Kenno (Kennedy). They’re the two who have played on him all year so they’ll take him again. He’s a ripper player and they have a lot of dangerous forwards so we’ll have to be at our very best to quell all those guys for a start, then got on top over the rest of the ground.
SZ: What do you see as Greensborough’s main strength?
CH: I think we’re very much alike. Their even spread is something I have been conscious of and really impressed with. The way they have been able to cover ‘Bongo’ (Bongetti) is a good example of that. (Rhys) Boyden has stepped up and (Andrew) Stellas’ final series has been outstanding. There’s not really one bloke you can cover and think that we’ll be okay. We’ll need to win more one-on-one contests than we lose.
SZ: Jordan Treloar has gone under the radar but is having a really strong finish to the year.
CH: He is a fantastic player. He roams all over the forward line and doesn’t necessarily play full forward. We’ve done that all year really because our forwards are so young. It eases the pressure a bit. Jordan’s mobility allows him to roam around the forward line and his second half of the year, particularly his contested marking, has been outstanding.
SZ: Over the past two years the side that won the second semi has gone on to lose the Grand Final after a week’s rest. Has that made for a modified training program over the past fortnight?
CH: Not really. You don’t really know the answer as to which position is the best to come from until after the game. All I know is that our guys are fit. We aren’t going in with anyone who is sore. We’ve certainly enjoyed the opportunity to have a week off in between games. Going back to when I coached previously, we always had blokes that were a bit sore. I certainly know the 22 that I pick this weekend are all on top of the ground. They are all fit and sound. I think that will hold us in good stead.
