UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Tomorrow: St Simons JFC
“Choose Tap” Countdown | Mitcham Football Club
By Andy Paolacci
So much was made of Mitcham’s season in 2014.
On many occasions, the Tigers were talked up as being premiers-in-waiting.
Their irrepressible ball movement from defence to attack was a feature of their play, with many opposition defences time and again found wanting.
If that wasn’t enough, Mitcham topped the Division 3 ladder for much of the year showcasing the supreme forward quartet of Steve Pimm, Johnny ‘the Pig’ Pignataro and the Hoegel brothers.
In fact, Mitcham was the only team to score over 2,000 points in the home-and-away season in Division 3 – almost 400 points better than the next best: South Belgrave.
If the season was to become a shoot-out, the premiership almost certainly looked destined to be heading to Tigerland.
However, we all know finals aren’t always played in that manner.
Pignataro went down with a career-ending knee injury earlier in the season, but the pivotal moment came in the Preliminary Final when Templestowe produced the upset of the season, downing the Tigers by twelve points.
Mind you, the Tigers had thumped the Dockers by 95 points in the Qualifying Final a fortnight prior.
Whether you knew the background or not, it’s no understatement; it’s unfinished business in season 2015 for the Mitcham Football Club.
Speaking to Mitcham’s president, Matt McCubbin, he believed 2014 was a good learning curve for the season to come.
“We didn’t do a lot wrong in 2014; we probably switched off at the wrong times and it cost us.
“We started with a pretty young list but it comes down to maturity; a lot of our players are coming into their 100th or 150th game, and it’s this experience that will improve us.”
The Tigers have done very well to keep their senior list, with ‘the Pig’ the only major departure from the senior line-up.
Ex-Montrose and Mitcham junior, Marc Watson, and former Bayswater backman, Damian Murray, come in to the side to bolster the Tigers’ midfield and defence respectively.
However, the biggest change comes off the field, with former Bayswater mentor, Neil Winterton, taking the reigns down at Tigerland.
With McCubbin impressed by the standard Winterton has set, Mitcham is confident that they’ll be able to fine-tune their output to give themselves the best shot in claiming the ultimate prize.
Mitcham kicks off its campaign with a home game against Whitehorse, while keeping one eye on Round 2 as they prepare to face Templestowe for the first time since last year’s Preliminary Final.
