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By: Daniel Cencic
FIRST-YEAR Park Orchards playing-coach Dennis Armfield will invest heavily in youth as the club readies itself for Division 1.
Armfield takes over the coaching reins from Jarrod Bayliss, after the club posted a nine-win, nine-loss record for fifth position in Division 2 in 2018.
The new Sharks played 145 games for Carlton from 2008-2017, kicking 75 goals and found his way to Domeney Reserve through connections with club president Jeremy Thomas and captain Tom Feher.
Armfield in action for Carlton. PHOTO: AFL Media
“It (coaching) has been a challenge to step up in my own self-growth area, taking over and taking charge for the first time in my career,” Armfield said.
“Park Orchards footy club and the support of admin has been superb and the boys are really listening and picking up what I’m putting down.
“The ability to take over a coaching role was something that really drew me, I played one year at local level at Avondale Heights in the EDFL and I wanted to take that next progression to coach.”
The new names landing at the Sharks has Armfield excited for the future of the club, with Northern Blues vice-captains Mason Blakey and Kane Keppel joining the fold, along with 2018 Vermont reserves premiership player and speedy wingman, Tom Jacotine.
The club made the transition to the competition’s second tier in 2018 off the back of three premierships across under-19, reserve and senior level in 2017.
“We went down a path where we wanted to recognise and keep building our home-grown talent so we got a few other boys in Tom Jacotine back who’s a past junior (and) Kane Keppel,” Armfield said.
“We’ve also got Mason Blakey who’s on a VFL list who is also from the area and knows a lot of the team.
“Our team is young and built off a lot of home-grown talent, I didn’t want to come in and disrupt that, I want to continue to build and grow that and keep developing the relationship that we have with the junior football club.
“There’s no doubt that if this core group of players can stay together, the future could look very bright.
“It’s an unknown for me, being new to the EFL and everyone’s new to me.”
Meanwhile, previous Sharks playing-coach Jarrod Bayliss has transferred to Vermont and key talls Michael Fowkes and Daniel Gorringe have joined Wandin.
Fowkes kicked 41 goals last season and played an integral role in the Sharks’ 2017 Division 3 flag.
Despite the departures, there is no cap on what the club can achieve this season and beyond according to Armfield.
“I think we’re travelling quite nicely having a good practice match against South Croydon two weeks ago – we’re not a long way off but we’ve still got a lot of things to learn as well,” he said.
“If the core group of players and local boys can stay true then we should be able to push ourselves, whether that’s this year, next year or the year after – the sky’s the limit and I won’t put any restrictions, but I also won’t set any unrealistic goals either.”
Armfield believes he will play on a needs-basis this season.
“If my body’s all good I’ll play,” he said.
“But for me too my pride is to develop our local boys and if that means that I might have to step aside every week or every now and then I will.
“These boys are there a lot longer than me so it’s crucial that we keep developing them and growing them.
“On the footy field, I’ll be governed to where our team’s at and what our team needs, I definitely won’t be dictating that I’ll be in this spot and everyone moves around me, it’ll be more what have we got and what do we need and can I fill that role or not.”
Heading into his first season at the helm, Armfield says the competition is an “unknown”, but hopes his young side can match it with the best of the EFL’s second-tier.
“The biggest one for me is just being competitive every week and I think with the group of boys that we have, we can definitely do that,” he said.
“It’s unrealistic for me to come in and say we’re going to do, this, this and this.
“At the halfway point of the season I’ll know who we’re playing and what we’re doing.
“We want to be competitive every game (but) ideally if we’re not pushing to play finals then what are you here for, so I think every team’s pushing to play finals and if you’re not, then why would you be out there in the first place because that’s what it’s all about.
“We’re not here to just make up the numbers.”
Park Orchards will also field its inaugural team in the Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s competition this season. The club competed at last weekend’s Deakin University Lightning Premiership where it posted wins over Ferntree Gully and Templestowe respectively. The side will be coached by former Sharks player Darcy Price, who brings a physical education background.
Park Orchards kicks off its season this Saturday hosting Upper Ferntree Gully at Domeney Reserve, while the women’s fixture is yet to be released.
