2019 was a disappointing year for Montrose, with their senior outfit only managing to win one game during the Premier Division season, seeing the club relegated down to Division One.
Unfortunately, 2020 has forced the club to wait an extra 12 months before its journey towards redemption begins but with no promotion at the end of this season, Montrose won’t be going back to the top division, regardless of what 2021 brings.
Senior coach Peter Bastinac says that there is of course still plenty to play for, especially for a side which has been so starved of wins in recent times.
Tim Jones will return to Montrose in 2021 after playing for Launceston in 2020. Photo – Montrose Football Netball Club Facebook
“Obviously we’re over the disappointment of being relegated and are very keen to have an impact in Division One, that’s for sure,” Bastinac said.
“We were always keen to get into 2020 as quickly as we could and we had a really strong preseason…so when it got shut down there was a lot of disappointment…we were trying to build to stabilise our club and get some wins on the board.
“But the hunger is still there, and we’ve kept 98% of our list, so it’s the same boys that’ll be turning up and are keen to go.”
Although Montrose has retained much of its list, it hasn’t seen much action on the recruiting front, however, but this doesn’t mean there won’t be any new blood donning the blue and red this season.
Much of the club’s fresh faces will come from its exceedingly strong under 19s stocks.
The homegrown talented youngsters have had an extra year to mature into their bodies and build-up their skills for senior footy.
“We’ve been working really hard in the last few years to bolster our stocks in our under 19s and now we’ve done that,” Bastinac said.
“Dave Watson is coaching and he’s got a really strong squad so our strength is going to be our depth.
“(In the past) we haven’t had those young guys coming through but now we believe we’ve got a really strong nucleus to call on, even as early as this year.”
Hoping to take Division One by storm, Bastinac believes there is a group of five or six younger players who will see regular senior footy in 2021.
“I think the big improvement is going to come from guys like Bailey White, Tyler Birchall,” he said.
“They got a taste of senior footy in Premier and they handled themselves as you would expect any first year players at senior level – they were up and down.
“You can just see their development straight away. I think they’re going to be really good players for us this year, not just kids finding their way.
“We’ve got a good group at the Eastern Ranges at the moment too. There are half a dozen boys there that’ll be good senior players.”
A benefit for most clubs following the year off is having a fully healthy list. Any long term injuries got extra time to rehab and the lack of footy has provided little opportunity for further injuries.
A healthy list is not necessarily a fit list, but for Montrose, despite the months of lockdown, Bastinac said the boys have come back in “pretty good shape”.
“We’ve been lucky enough to secure some good people in our strength and conditioning,” Bastinac said.
“The biggest thing we’ve got against us is guys having to work away at times, but they’ve been taking their gear away with them and are working hard.”
“We’re confident in the coaching group and I’m confident that the players are eager to have a crack at the season,” he said.
“Knowing that there’s no promotion at the end of this season, it’s about maintaining and being strong and stable for the following season to have a really big crack at it (Premier Division) again.”
Meanwhile, the Demons Senior Women’s side is amidst an up-and-down return to footy.
Struggling with numbers, the team needs to do some more recruiting in the coming weeks in order to get ready for Round One.
Nevertheless, senior coach Peter Weston said the group of 15 players currently listed have been “super keen to get back into it”.
In addition to that, Weston is confident he will have a full side prior to the start of the season.
Demon’s Women’s Coach Peter Weston – Photo Montrose Football Netball Club Facebook
“I’m expecting improvements,” Weston said.
“There have been a lot of players with work commitments who are trying to get their schedule together so they can fit in training.
“Ideally I want about 22 or 24 players training each week. We’re making inroads towards that figure and recently we’ve had a few recruits come on board…I’m very confident we will get a side.”
Part of Montrose Women’s appeal is the atmosphere.
Although numbers have been small to date, Weston said the moral of the group is upbeat and the skills are excellent.
Having just committed to coaching, he is already relishing the opportunity.
“The atmosphere has been good, the girls are fantastic and I’m really enjoying my time here,” he said.
The quality of Montrose’s list is something that may well put the league on notice in the early rounds of the season.
With some younger girls joining the squad, Weston said their years of junior footy will hold them in good stead for the senior season ahead.
“All the girls are home grown products and they’ve all been playing footy throughout their junior careers at Montrose,” Weston said.
“I’ve picked up girls that have had fantastic training in the past…they’re all highly skilled and ready to go.”
Despite the talent, expectations for the season are modest.
Cautious not to expect too much, Weston’s priority is to further player development and ensure the girls are all enjoying themselves and loving the return of local footy.
“Rather than setting our expectations too high, I’m looking forward to progress from all the girls,” he said.
“The thing with women’s footy is you don’t know what you’re going to come up against.
“Our goal will just be to do our best and if we get beaten by a better side then we’ll walk off with our heads held high.
“I know it’s a cliché, but we will take it week-by-week and make adjustments as we go.”
Montrose’s Men’s sides take on Bayswater at home in the Round One (April 10), with the Female fixture yet to be confirmed (at time of writing).