2014 EFL Pre-Season Wiki | Tomorrow: Glen Waverley Rovers
by Nick Brown (@nickbbrown)
EAST Burwood is on a road to rediscovery in 2014, looking to make amends for a disappointing 2013 season that saw it relegated to Division 2.
For the first time in the club’s 53-year existence in the Eastern Football League, it won’t play in the premier division.
According to senior coach Fabian Carelli, it doesn’t sit well with the proud club, nor does it sit well with him personally.
So, as he prepares to lead the Rams for a second consecutive year, his main objective is to get the club back to the level that has seen it claim 12 Division 1 premierships.
“It still carries a bit of weight, being relegated last season,” Carelli admitted.
“It hurts, because East Burwood is a very proud club and I am a very proud person, so I take responsibility for what has happened.
“But all we can do now is move on. I want to rediscover the winning culture and the winning feeling. To get the enjoyment and confidence back.”
While that is the plan for Carelli and his players, he admits he is expecting the East Burwood faithful to have higher expectations. He knows the expectations will be for them to be a top side.
But while agreeing he wants his side to play finals in 2014, he knows it won’t be as easy as some may think.
“The expectation of the East Burwood people will no doubt be to go straight back up [to Division 1] because they are proud people and a proud club,” he said.
“It will still be a challenge. It’s a tight competition and there are some really strong sides in Division 2. So we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. It’s just small steps for us.”
The other reason why Carelli knows the season ahead will be tough is the fact the Rams have lost close to a dozen senior players.
Topping the list of departures from East Burwood Reserve are Anthony and Matthew Mariani, plus 2013 Best and Fairest winner Jason Kennedy. Those three alone will leave massive holes to fill, but Carelli is confident the club has been able to recruit some players to help bounce back.
The two big inclusions that have Carelli optimistic are Goulburn Valley premiership ruckman Bernie Jones and Jarrod Stafford from Warrnambool. The club also managed to sign De La Selle Best and Fairest winner Hugh Nicholson.
Since riding the waves of being relegated and losing a number of key players, Carelli believes there are plenty of encouraging signs for the Rams.
“The players we lost are quality. We have lost our number one and two from the Best and Fairest, so it’ll be difficult,” he admitted.
“But our number one priority at the end of last season was to get some talls and we were able to sign up two rucks by October last year.
“We wanted to get the talls first then focus on filling the other holes with the mids and half-forwards and half-backs.”
Carelli says the club has plenty to looking forward to in 2014, including the club’s 1000th EFL game in Round 3 against North Ringwood.
“At this stage everything is pointing towards it be a very exciting year for us,” he said.
“We are starting to fill the holes with the players we needed and our numbers at training have probably been the best since I’ve been at the club.
“The 1000th game is pretty exciting. It’ll be a big day for the club and there is plenty planned. There will be plenty of past players and supporters there and the club is really looking forward to it.”