By Ryan Long
The boys from Walker Reserve are back to improve on last year’s late season form, with one eye firmly set on surging up the Division One ladder.
It was a slow start to the year for the Devils in 2021, losing the first three games of the season before winning the next four out of five matches.
Without a major emphasis on recruiting this year, Senior Coach Steve Cochrane has put a lot of time and focus into their current list and the way they want to play.
“We’re trying to keep our group together, it’s a pretty young group,” Cochrane said.
“We haven’t recruited a lot so we’ve just been focusing on how we want to play and getting prepared for the season.”
While it has been a quiet off-season for the Devils on the recruitment front this year, the club have brought a lot of players in over the last two previous years. This year will be a great opportunity for the club to see more of these players getting a chance to perform.
“We recruited pretty heavily just before covid hit and we really haven’t seen a lot of games out of those guys.”
“So, we’ve still a pretty new group although they’re now two, three years older.”
They’ll also be looking to keep blooding new players into the senior side with a few youngsters putting their hand up for selection, especially from an Under 19’s side that finished two games clear on top of the ladder in 2021.
“We’ve got some under 19’s, Jarryd Von Grondelle, he won the league medal last year, so he’ll be pushing for senior selection.”
“We’ve got a number of two’s guys who will be coming through like Nathan Palamara and a few other guys.”
Apart from their slow start to the year, the Devils were a serious threat to pinch a finals position before the cancellation of the season.
Lincoln Wong was a standout all season through the middle while players such as Jack O’Keefe and Marcus Jordan started to influence the game more up forward as the season progressed.
They’ll be looking to get out of the starting blocks a little quicker with some opportunities to get on the board early in their first month of football.
“Getting wins in the bank is already the aim, some sides are more wound up than others.”
“This year with covid, we don’t know who’s going to have it, and who won’t, so players are going to miss due to sickness, so I think it’s going to be a week-to-week proposition for a lot of clubs.”
If Wantirna South are to challenge, they’ll need to close the gap between them and some of the top sides in the division, such as East Ringwood who they were able to push for three quarters last year before ultimately falling comfortably short.
“They just had top end talent, more experience than us, were a little more drilled, a lot more organised.”
“That’s where our club is building to, to have a core group of players who are experienced, it makes a big difference.”
The Devils will be the first club to take on Beaconsfield, who have transferred to the EFNL from the Outer East Football Netball League.
“Fortunately, or unfortunately, we’re the first ones to have a look at Beaconsfield so we’re looking forward to that challenge, they’ve got beautiful facilities and a great team.”
Cochrane is excited to see the group develop more in an attempt to find some success in division one.
“I think it’s just gaining more experience as a team and development.”
“Just like every team, we’re aiming to play finals and that’s where our focus is at the moment.”
“Making sure we go out and play the way we want to play and try and improve each week on that.”