26 DAYS TO GO | EFL Media will be previewing each club ahead of the 2019 season with the #InFocus2019 series, all thanks to Yarra Valley Water & Choose Tap.
By: Daniel Cencic
MONTROSE has added to its youth as it readies itself for Premier Division football this season.
The Demons won five matches for 10th position in Division 1 last year, finishing three games clear of the relegation zone.
Senior coach Peter Bastinac has an eye on the long-term future of the club, overseeing the arrival of a plethora of young talent this off-season.
“Beau Tennant (Mooroolbark) is a young tall who plays pretty much forward but can play in other parts of the ground, Shaun McMillan (Park Orchards) is a strong-bodied type who can play midfield (and) forward and Bayley White (Mooroolbark) is involved at the (Eastern) Ranges so we probably won’t see a lot of him, but he’s an exciting talent who’s a regular goalkicker,” Bastinac said.
“That was our goal was to get in some talent, and one-pointers, that’ll be really important to us going forward.”
Bastinac also noted promising young Chirnside Park duo Kieran Urquhart (20) and Tyler Birchall (18) as players to watch this season after crossing to the club.
Urquhart played eight matches for the Eastern Ranges in the NAB League in 2017 before 14 senior appearances with the Panthers last season, while Birchall is a former EFL junior representative in the under-14s and 15s.
The Demons will also see more of Mitch Davis in 2019 after the 27-year-old suffered a broken leg in last season’s Round 1 clash with Knox, returning in Round 13 to play the remaining seven games.
Meanwhile, Tim Jones will return from a lay-off with injury late last season, and Sam Gibson has had a strong pre-season.
“He (Davis) hasn’t missed a beat,” Bastinac said.
“He’s trained really well, he’s had a strong pre-season and he’s like a new recruit for us, absolutely.
“Sam Gibson had that terrible start to the year last year with his battle with cancer and he’s moving really strongly as well.
“We’ve got a good core of players who’ve had a really good summer under their belt.”
Brendan Gardoll will again captain the club and will be ably-assisted by a four-man leadership group, with the final member yet to be named.
Gardoll in action. PHOTO: Davis Harrigan Photography
“Our leadership won’t change a lot but if anything, I want to add a player,” Bastinac said.
“Our leadership will form Brendan Gardoll, Andrew Haining, James Wilsen and Tim Jones at this stage.”
The key departure for the Demons this off-season has been spearhead Billy Schilling, who has signed with fellow Premier Division club, North Ringwood.
The 27-year-old played over 150 senior games for the Demons from 2009-2018, booting over 400 goals.
“There’s more reliance on the local talent now,” Bastinac said.
“There’s some young boys who I’m expecting to have big years and they’re the future of Montrose.
“Billy was never going to be around forever, but these boys have got 10 to 12 years in front of them so I’m looking for them to step up this year.”
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Sam Goodman has retired after more than 100 senior matches from 2007-2018 across Montrose and Ferntree Gully.
Bastinac knows of the challenges ahead for his side leading into the EFL’s inaugural season of the Premier Division competition.
“It’s just going to be a really tough year for every team,” he said.
“The top five from last year are going to be strong again and if you look at the teams that didn’t make the five in Norwood and a couple of others, they’ve recruited really well and are going to be strong so there’s nowhere to hide for us.
“We’ve had a strong summer and have put some things in place that we hope can make us really competitive this year.”
Montrose begins its 2019 season when it takes on Blackburn at Morton Park on Saturday, April 6.