Following yet more heartbreak and a stay in Division Two, the Redbacks will look to come back stronger in 2019, whilst their brand-new women’s team will look to learn some valuable lessons along the way.
Ringwood supporters suffered a heavy dose of Déjà vu in 2019, after losing by two points to Mitcham in a thrilling Division Two Grand Final, following on from a 16 point loss to Boronia in 2018 at the same venue.
But despite their recent home and away success, senior coach Brett Rowe says there will be plenty of challenges along the way this season as the Redbacks target yet another finals campaign
“A lot of things can happen.”
“The other clubs could’ve recruited, along with a lot of teams improving each year,”
“I think we can (contend once again) but there will be some challenges along the road.”
Rowe added that the Redbacks recruits could help them in their push for ultimate success, pleased with how the new additions have looked on the training track so far.
“They’re really going to improve us,”
“Players of the caliber of Trent Farmer, Tim Jones, Curtis Dunne, those guys that have played Premier Division footy and won league medals,”
“Then you throw in our other guys who’ve come back like Danny Atwell and add a young kid like Jack Murfett…I think they’ve been great additions for us and they’re moving really well for us on the track.”
Like many other clubs, lockdown was hard for the team, with the group training (individually or as restrictions allowed) during the first but only keeping in touch with the coach via text in the second lockdown.
“During the first lockdown we started training when we were allowed to, even though the season was cancelled it was good to get everyone together,”
“But when the second lockdown happened, I pretty much left the guys alone and casually sent a text just to see how they were all going.”
With Mitcham heading up to Division One, things open up even more for the Redbacks this season, but Rowe knows that the quality of competition in Division Two will be very strong.
“From a playing perspective you’ve always got teams that are pushing such as Boronia, Heathmont, Templestowe, and the new guys too, South Belgrave and Knox,”
“There’s some quality teams there, [ in Division Two] it’s going to be a really even year.”
One player Rowe says to look out for as a potential breakthrough player: fifth-year Redback Harry George.
“He’s flying at the moment in pre-season, he’s really taken his running to another level and he’s always been hard at the footy,”
“I think he’s a big chance to really put a mark on the season.”
One team that will leave their mark on the season will be the new Ringwood Women’s football team.
Former Netball coordinator turned Women’s Football coordinator Zoe Price says training has been of the highest quality and that there’s around “30 girls that are interested and enjoying it.”
Price also said that, like most teams starting from scratch, that it will be hard this first season for the Redback, but believes they’ll push through and grow for the experience.
“I think the first season will be challenging for heaps of reasons,”
“We’ve got girls that haven’t played footy before and the club’s never had a female team so there’s going to be lots of different things to navigate,”
“But I think we’ll be right, I think that numbers are the most important thing, so that’s what I’m focusing on, then we’ll deal with everything else as it comes.”
They’ve gained a lot of local netballers who have brothers that play in the senior team as well as some players from neighbouring teams and competitions.
“We’ve got a few recruits from Norwood that are really good so that’s exciting … One of our girls is from the Yarra Valley comp and we’ve also had a couple of girls from Waverley who have come by for training,”
“But the rest are just local girls who played netball with us and they’ll do a bit of both.”
Price says to keep a close eye on some of the recruits from Norwood, including young gun Olivia Ashcroft and the talented Zoe Cant, who will also be a playing assistant coach.
“Zoe Cant has come from Norwood and she’s also going to be the assistant coach,”
“She’s awesome and will be really good and then we’ve got young Olivia Ashcroft, she’s a star who has come from Norwood as well.”
Ringwood will face off against the Templestowe Dockers in the opening round at Templestowe Reserve on April 10th, whilst the Women’s fixture is yet to be confirmed.
