By Josh Ward.
2022 was one of East Ringwood’s greatest years in recent history and they’ll look to replicate that success this coming season.
The men’s side came into last year as red-hot favourites for both the Division 1 premiership and promotion to Premier Division. And they lived up to that mantle, losing only one game and rampaging their way to their first premiership in 20 years.
Senior coach Ben Osborne recently said that both the young and experienced members of the side are excited to be playing in the top tier.
“Those last six games we finally hit where we wanted to hit and play the footy we wanted to play, not just the last six rounds but especially the two finals against the two other best sides where we won by 11 goals and 14 goals,” Osborne said.
“We deserve to be going up and we’re in a really good spot with our 19s winning the premiership as well and being able to add a few players to our list and keep all of our list together.”
Only Steve Dinnell and Troy Wright have moved on from the Division 1 premiers with Osborne pleased that majority of the group has signed on for this coming season.
“We’re really excited, I felt that if we could keep this group together everyone had some footy left in them,”
“Our key was to get the experience signed on again, but also the youth coming through, half of our Premiership side were 21 and under so we feel like there’s plenty of growth in that group.”
They’ve added plenty of experience too, with Adam Swierzbiolek, Michael Cramp, James O’Connor & Daniel Collier signing on plus 2021 Best and Fairest Josh Weightman returning following a year away with Seville.
Osborne said he was particularly excited to bring in the likes of ex-Coburg ruckman Swierzbiolek plus Weightman to strengthen their midfield.
“We had Hannin Mundy in ruck last year and he was outstanding, but he knew and we knew going up a division against bigger boys that we needed to target a ruckman…It was great to welcome (Adam) back to East Ringwood, he’s been there before.”
“Josh is huge for us to come back from Seville, he needed to set himself up and he went and got a job with Seville. He was always keen to come back as soon as he could, fortunate for us that it was only one year (he was away).”
With the additions that they’ve had as well as most of the premiership side signing on for a season in a new division, Osborne believes that his side has the capability to push for a finals spot this coming season.
“We want to be better than six other teams and if we’re better than six other teams that means we finish in the top six. And then as soon as you finish there you give yourself a chance to see where you can go.
“You need a bit of luck and a bit of good fortune as the year goes on, but our priority and our want is to play finals football.”
On the other hand the women’s senior side had a strong season in Division 2 after taking the drop from Division 1. Starting off slowly, they came charging home to finish in second place, eventually making the Grand Final in which they fell by 14 points to minor premiers Knox.
Women’s coach Adrian Fittolani recently said that following a successful season his side are excited about another big season in 2023.
“We as a group are looking at 2023 really optimistically having set a foundation of experience and gotten a lot of games into people who’d never played footy before,”
“We have started preseason and we feel a long way ahead in terms of our preparedness and our readiness to play in 2023 than we were last year.”
Majority of the playing group from 2022 has signed on, with Fittolani particularly pleased that likes of Meg Thompson, Kay Wootherspoon and Nicola Davidson had re-signed.
“Meg Thompson won the league B&F in our division, we had I think the best ruck in the competition in Kay Wootherspoon as well.
“We had really great players right across the ground, and Nicola as well is an electric player, someone that sparks things up and really turns the game and gets a side going.
“We’re delighted to have signed her, Meg and Kay and most of the players from last year. We’ve also had interest from new players and returning players as well.
Among the returning players to the side is Natasha Belo, sister of senior men’s stars Dylan and James, plus Jennifer Hicks returning after a year away from football.
“Jen had taken a year to try and work on her running, she’s a marathoner, she wanted to do some training and avoid the chance of injury in her running. She was previously in our leadership and is a really strong addition (along with Natasha),” Fittolani said.
“It will add something to what we have.”
Whilst they haven’t been on a major recruiting spree Fittolani believes the additions as well as the group continuing on from 2022 will keep them in a solid position this coming year.
“We haven’t signed a dozen women who are all class, but we’re confident with the couple we’ve picked up and the ones that are doing the work will set us in good stead for another tilt at the finals at least.
“We’re confident of that, but as I say we’ve all got to do the work and everyone single woman on the list has to get going and keep on the roll.”
