33 DAYS TO GO | EFL Media will be previewing each club ahead of the 2018 season with the #InFocus2018 series, all thanks to Yarra Valley Water & Choose Tap.
By: Daniel Cencic
Twitter: @DC_EFL
A stoic Paul Newlands has declared finals are a non-negotiable for the Kilsyth Football Club in 2018.
The Cougars’ senior coach has overseen a recruiting frenzy in the off-season, identifying his club’s shortage of stocks which saw it just miss the Division 4 finals last season, winning 10 games and finishing fifth.
“To be honest that’s why we had to go out and recruit the way we did,” Newlands said.
“Our stocks were at a bare minimum and there were blokes there that probably were running around that they know themselves aren’t senior footballers but that’s where we were at.
“If we had snuck into the finals, the first week we probably would’ve got smashed (and) to be fair the boys did really well considering our stocks.
“We have to play finals (this year) – if we don’t play finals it’s a fail and I’ll be brutally honest, we need to play in a grand final – that’s a pass mark as far as I’m concerned.”
2017 Perc James medallist Sean Currey will again captain the club. PICTURE: Sarah Matray
Headlining the recruits at Pinks Reserve are upwards of 10 former Croydon players, including Hayden Lovat and Alex Bull, along with Luke Hands who played senior football with Woori-Yallock last season.
Click here for full transfers list.
The Cougars have also brought in Adam Miles from Mooroolbark, who returns to football after missing 2017 with an ankle injury.
Johnathon Hevern also joins the club after captaining Upwey-Tecoma last year.
Newlands, who coached Croydon for four years, has been pleased with his new recruits this pre-season.
“(Hayden Lovat) is one of those blokes that’s probably first on the board each week,” he said.
“He was keen to make a move and make a change and I was lucky enough to still be in contact with a lot of those boys.
“He’s a genuine back that can play big or small and also his versatility allows you to throw him in with the mids as well.
“(Adam Miles) has got some great skills, I remember coaching against him (and) he’s a good half-forward-mid as well.
“Luke Hands is another tall that’s going to add another dynamic to us, whether he’s forward or back or in the ruck.
“Alex Bull is a genuine senior footballer and a class act, and ‘Johno’ Hevern has great leadership skills and it’s definitely something we’ve really noticed on the track – he’s going to be brilliant for us, another tall forward.
“We’re very happy with what we’ve got, we’ve just got to make sure everyone’s gelling now and doing the same thing.”
Meanwhile, captain Sean Currey is set for another big year after taking out the Perc James medal for the best and fairest player in Division 4 last season.
“He’s a classy fella with the way he goes about it on and off the field,” Newlands said.
“He’ll probably start forward for us I’d imagine early parts and we’ll let him cruise into it and we’ll throw him into the ruck as well (and) he’ll back it up again I’m sure.”
It’s been a long time between drinks for the Cougars, with the club winning its last senior flag in 1995, along with runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2015 – the latter being the club’s last finals appearance.
Newlands says the current group are champing at the bit to experience finals football again.
“That’s something that we spoke about at the end of my first season last year; we sat down and went through everything on and off the field as part of our exit meeting,” he said.
“The boys said that they knew we didn’t have the stock to go all the way last season.
“They were very keen for us to do the work we needed to do during the break so they can have a taste of finals again and get out of where they’re at.”
Kilsyth opens its season against Fairpark at Fairpark Reserve on Saturday, April 7.
