2014 EFL Pre-Season Wiki | Tomorrow: Ferntree Gully
by Dan Campbell (@DC_Sting)
THE following year after finishing runners-up in a Grand Final is often very challenging.
Expectation weighs heavily as a club is put under an intense microscope by the thousands of EFL pundits in the outer.
For Mooroolbark, its journey for premiership success continues, entering 2014 off the back of a preliminary final loss in 2012 and a Grand Final loss to local neighbours Montrose in 2013.
The Mustangs’ pursuit for the elusive cup will be led by new senior coach Paris Harvie, who has spent the previous two seasons at Doncaster East and South Croydon prior.
They have also welcomed back a veteran and favourite son to the fold, Scott Dimitriou, who says Harvie was on the Mooroolbark radar as soon as the helm was vacated by former coach Brett Fisher.
“He’s someone we really targeted when we found out Brett wasn’t [coaching],” he said.
The Dimitriou-Harvie football relationship, which began through East Ringwood where Scott witnessed Paris’ impeccable knowledge of all things football, will continue.
“I actually know him from East Ringwood, because he played over 200 games at East Ringwood with my uncle. He’s a very smart man and knows his stuff,” Dimitriou said.
“When we heard that he wasn’t coaching at Donny East, the club went for him and thought he’d be a great fit for our young kids coming through.”
And the reason for Dimitriou returning home to Heights Reserve is just as the old saying goes – there’s no place like home.
“I played 180 games there [Mooroolbark] then went to East Ringwood last year to give first division a crack before I was too old and finished up.”
“[I] had a season there and absolutely loved it, but Mooroolbark’s my home.”
The return home also means the opportunity to reach a significant milestone in the green and gold.
“Hopefully [I’ll] bring up 200 [games], either late this year or early next year.”
Dimitriou will also be playing alongside brother Daniel in season 2014, who has also re-joined the club. However, do not expect the latter to be taking the field early in the Mustangs’ premiership campaign.
“He [Daniel] will be out for the first six [games], because he’s overseas. So, lucky him I say!”
If a 2013 Grand Final appearance, as well as the inclusion of a new esteemed senior coach and club stalwart for season 2014, wasn’t enough to convince the EFL populace of a highly competitive Mustangs outfit this year, then a new potent forward from Division 1 might.
The Mustangs have added extra firepower up forward, with the inclusion of ex-Vermont spearhead Adrian Gileno, whose goal-kicking trade was being plied in the reserves most weekends last season.
Now, Gileno has been presented the opportunity for regular senior football after leading the Division 1 Reserves goal-kicking in 2013.
“I’ve watched him [Adrian] a couple of times last year. He played the majority of games in the two’s, and I could not believe he was running around in the two’s,” Dimitriou said.
“We thought he’s a bloke that should be playing senior footy. We gave him a call before Christmas and we signed him up. I’m really looking forward to watching and playing alongside him, he looks a great talent.
“He’ll take a while to settle in early on, as most players do, but he’ll play his best footy in the back half of the year, and I can’t wait to see what he’s got.”
As the 2014 season closes in and the EFL pundits’ microscope tightens with 12 days to go, Dimitriou says the youth at the Mustangs could prove to be the catalyst as the club tries to go one better under coach Harvie.
“Our kids coming through are footy heads. They love their footy, the 18 to 20-year-olds are really passionate. They’re going to take a while to get used to senior footy and get five or six games up, but once they do, they’ll be really exciting, fast, and young.”
Having lost the talented likes of Ben Mullett, Chris Murphy and Alex Wadsworth, Dimitriou believes new blood in the Mustangs’ stable is essential after the previous two premiership campaigns.
“It’s probably what you need having gone through a preliminary final loss and a Grand Final loss. We’ve lost a fair few players from last year as well. So to throw these kids in gives a fresh vibe to the footy club.”
Mooroolbark takes on Doncaster East in Round 1 as Harvie returns to coach against his old club at Zerbes Reserve.