OUT WITH THE OLD….
“Choose Tap” Countdown | Vermont Football Club
By Daniel Joyce
There has been plenty of change at the Vermont Eagles over the past six months.
The club has seen the departure of over a dozen senior players including Simon Taylor, Justin Van Unen, Ryan Mullet, Dean Millhouse and Nathan Henley; and with them goes plenty of experience.
Club president John Selton said it would be a different looking eagle’s side this season with 30 new players joining the senior list.
PLAYER REGISTRATION ACTIVATION
“Obviously it’s a different era at Vermont after all those years with those five or six players,” he said.
The club has also lost another star in Tom Schneider due a bad knee injury which he sustained through a recent practice at Cora Lyn.
“He’s out for the year unfortunately, he’s had his operation and that went well…but it’s going to be a while before he’s back on the field…but you’ve just got to move on,” said Selton.
Although there has been a considerable loss in players Selton still believes that one of the most successful clubs in recent EFL history is once again well positioned to challenge for another premiership.
“I think we’ve topped up pretty well with what we’ve got and we’ll just have to wait and see I guess”
“You’ve got (Joel) Perry, a couple of young guys coming through, the Mcconnon brothers…a few of the recruits we’ve picked up (Mitch) Davis is one.”
However Selton is most excited about the prospects of young ruckman Liam Wale-Buxton.
“We’ve had that big tall ruckman Wale-Buxton he’s been playing in the ruck for the seniors in the practice games and he’s got himself pretty fit,” he said.
Although he is happy with how the senior and reserve sides have gone over the preseason so far, Selton said that the club was under no illusions.
‘CHOOSE TAP’ WATER BOTTLE OFFER
The president believes that preseason form counts for very little and the club would have to wait til the real stuff starts before making too many predictions on what lies ahead.
“I think it’s like any club you can practice, train the house down over summer, play the practice games but I think until you start playing live games you don’t know exactly where you’re at,” he said.
They will undergo a stern assessment to start the year with the club meeting fellow finalists Montrose, Norwood, Balwyn and Blackburn in the first four rounds of the season.
“Obviously our first four games are all the finals sides from last year, so that will give us a bit of a gauge as to where we need to be later in the year I guess,” Selton said.
“Winning premierships is getting harder and harder.”
However make no mistake there is a lot to look forward to down at the eagles in 2015, with anticipation building up for the season which is now only days away.
“The new players have fit in really well, it’s been a pretty tight knit summer with the training and the camp they had, and it’s pretty exciting around the club, with all the supporters and members, and there’s a bit of excitement around the place with all the youngsters coming through,” according to Selton.
Vermont will start its 2015 campaign against Montrose at Montrose Recreation Reserve on Saturday April 11th.
