DEVELOPMENT IS KEY
“Choose Tap” Countdown | Whitehorse Pioneers
By Peter Tseros
There is a feeling of excitement down at Whitehorse, the Pioneers are fit and eagerly awaiting Mitcham in Round 1.
Led by senior coach Ben Russian, Whitehorse have taken a different approach to pre-season this year after shying away from regular pre-season fitness in ensuring that the Pioneers know the way they want to play in 2015,
“We’ve been concentrating more on our game plan and our skills” said the Pioneers coach.
The fairly young team came back fitter than previous years, which has allowed them to take the varied approach.
Having a lot of players who last year were in their only first year of senior football, will benefit from having another preseason under their belts.
The Pioneers have managed a relatively empty injury room with most players feeling fresh a month out from Round 1.
Russian has been happy with the development of his young list since he came to the Pioneers and made mention of those players he thinks will make their mark on Division 3 this season, stating,
“A couple that have been the most impressive on the track are Bart Wallace and Chris McDougal, they continue to lead from the front each session”.
Whilst being eligible for Under 19’s in 2014 McDougal managed a fair chuck of senior football last season, with another pre-season under his belt, Russian believes he will only improve his game.
Although even with an improved list finals are not a certainty, however anything is possible during the season especially with such an even competition.
“We’re looking at it as if every single team in the competition is beatable, but we also understand that if we are off our game we too can be beaten”, said Russian.
Whitehorse are going up against Mitcham in Round 1 a tough first up assignment in any case.
Though as Russian admits, if they get the development to the level that the club is expecting, then they will be in the mix pushing for finals later in the year,
“It’s a very even competition and there isn’t a lot between the top five or six teams, so it will be tough.”