THE Division 1 heavyweights are back.
An undefeated start to the 2016 season, including a methodical 108-point win over finals-aspirant Eltham in Round 6, has Heidelberg firmly perched atop the Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 ladder.
After last year missing the finals for the first time since 2003, the Tigers have overcome every challenge so far this season, including claiming the scalp of reigning premier Macleod and finalists Northcote Park and Eltham.
Playing-coach Charles Gaylard believes his side’s even spread of contributors has been one of the keys to the flawless start to the year.
“We’ve got off to a good start, the boys have been putting in a bit of hard work. It is a long year and we just want to continue to test ourselves,” Gaylard told NFL.org.au.
“Across the board, we have a lot of contributors. The biggest thing is everybody plays their role and that’s what happened on the weekend.”
In his first season as skipper, Michael Brunelli has led from the front, tearing games apart with his blistering speed and pinpoint disposal, while new recruit Sam Gilmore has been a revelation in the ruck, along with James Magner up forward.
Gaylard has been impressed by all three, particularly Brunelli, who has assumed the captaincy from departed club champion, Jason Kennedy.
“Their leadership has been fantastic,” Gaylard said.
“The club named Brunelli as the captain this year and he’s really stepped up to it. He’s a fantastic leader along with Sam (Gilmore) and Jimmy Magner who brings a bit of knowledge from the VFL and AFL system.”
In his first season as playing-coach, Gaylard believes he has settled into the role well in the opening six weeks of the season.
“I’m enjoying the role. I have a lot of support off-field as well with Jason Heatley, John Bourke and John Matthew, which definitely makes my job a lot easier, just being able to bounce ideas off them and they look after it on game-day,” he said.
The impact dual-premiership coach Jason Heatley has had on Gaylard has been invaluable.
Picking the brain of one of the NFL’s masterminds has been of great benefit, Gaylard believes.
“It’s been really good. He’s just a really positive guy (and) he has a fairly large knowledge of the game,” he said.
“He just covers everything when you have a chat to him, when you come up with ideas there’s a lot of different questions he’ll follow up with which is good.”
Given Heidelberg’s outstanding record over the past decade, which includes 10 grand final appearances in the past 12 years and a four-peat of flags from 2006-2009, season 2015 reads as an aberration.
As the club continues to remind the footy world of the return of Division 1’s heavyweight each week, there are still handy names to potentially come back into the side.
Club legend Dale Nolan is among those, as well as former Essendon VFL captain Marcus Marigliani and former Richmond forward Dan Connors, who booted nine goals in the opening two rounds before sustaining a hamstring injury.
With Jarrod Hodgkin and Michael Brunelli both representing the NFL against the best Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League has to offer at the 2016 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships, the top-end talent at Tigerland looks a major asset for the club.
Heidelberg takes on Montmorency at Warringal Park in Round 7, as the Tigers look to continue their unbeaten run.
Despite Montmorency’s lowly position on the ladder, the match looms as a danger game for the Tigers, who have lost their past six matches against the Magpies.
