THE LONG ROAD
“Choose Tap” Countdown | Heathmont Football Club
By Dyson Baker
Heathmont experimented in 2014. New coach and a raft of new players in the hope that the club would taste success and play finals last season. Simon Rourke to the club was always looking like a massive win for the Jets who replaced Premiership Coach Steve Buckle who moved on to Doncaster East. The Lilydale Premiership came with a suitcase full of quality talent. Then injuries struck, the Jets had no luck with a series of soft tissue injuries right throughout the season. Even after running on empty at the end of the season Heathmont still managed seven wins for the season. The question is where to from here for the Jets, Rourke will continue at the helm although with the loss of Dan Breese, Robbie Savory and Best and Fairest winner Ryan Simpson it does get tough.
PLAYER REGISTRATION ACTIVATION Early season victories will be key, Heathmont has always been a confidence side and to get in front of the ledger in the first month will go a long way to finals football. The Jets were struck by tragedy at the end of last season, player Simon Minson taken to hospital whilst holidaying in Vietnam. Minson had suffered long term with Cystic Fibrosis, his life taken too early while on the holiday of a lifetime. The Jets rallied behind the family, the wider community did the same and raised upwards of $120K to #BringSimmoHome. Heathmont will again honour their great mate, they will dedicate their Round 1 match against Upper Ferntree Gully to Simon and honour him by wearing commemorative jumpers (See below) that will be auctioned off. The game will be big for the club who not only want to honour their team mate but will want to get their season off to the best possible start.
‘CHOOSE TAP’ WATER BOTTLE OFFER Heathmont haven’t won a season opener since 2012. The Hanger will be primed for the season ahead, where or not the Jets have 18 games worth of fuel could prove to be the burning question…
Upper Ferntree Gully and Ringwood in the first fortnight will tell us a lot about Division 3 in the first two weeks.