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MOOROOLBARK coach Bret Lavars is expecting his charges to hit the ground running this season in pursuit of a finals berth.
Despite not registering a win in their first six starts last season, the Mustangs won six out of eight mid-season for an eighth-placed finish in Division 1.
Returning and new names have injected experience and depth at Heights Reserve this off-season.
“The pre-season’s been really promising and we’ve recruited really well to fill some deficiencies,” Lavars said.
“The foundations were laid last season and 12 months under the young boys’ belts, and I think that’s held them in good stead. We’re really excited about getting into it in Round 1.”
Among the experienced names is 2017 Park Orchards premiership coach Jarrod Bayliss, who makes the move from AFL Outer East Premier Division outfit, Wandin. A former Mooroolbark junior, Bayliss also spent part of last season at top-flight powerhouse Vermont.
“He’d like to finish where he started his football career,” Lavars said.
“We’re really excited – he’s not only a quality player but he brings professionalism and leadership to our group having been a coach and played at higher levels of footy, so that’s been invaluable over pre-season.”
Kane Noonan has committed to the club on a full-time basis, after the 2018 best and fairest played the majority of his footy with VFL side Coburg last season, while the Mustangs have boosted their forward stocks with the inclusion of Jesse Bates (Westmeadows, EDFL) and Marcus Baxter (Eley Park, VAFA).
Baxter, who is expected to miss the start of the season with a foot injury, kicked 60 goals last season for Eley Park after six years with Woori-Yallock, where he kicked 57 goals in 2017 and in excess of 35 majors in four respective seasons.
Lavars says 25-year-old Bates’ leadership in a development role with the under-19s this year will be invaluable.
“He’s (Bates) not old by any stretch but he’s been a vice-captain at Westmeadows – he brings some leadership and he’s going to help with our under-19s coaching group as well,” Lavars said.
“We think Jesse’s going to be invaluable for that link for the development between our under-19s to senior football.”
The club has also welcomed back Jon Egan after a year at Division 4 club Chirnside Park, where he served as captain in 2019.
While Lavars hasn’t put a cap on expectations this season, the second-year Mustangs coach is eyeing a return to finals, with 2017 being the club’s last appearance.
“It’s (expectations) more about the process and what we need to get right to succeed,” Lavars said.
“As a coaching group and I think it’s fair to say the committee, I think anything short of finals would be a disappointing result from where our group’s come from and where we’re going.
“From where I sit, all things going right injury-wise, as with any other club in the division, that we would play finals. I think our best is good enough to beat anyone.
“After our slow start (to 2019) – we didn’t win one in our first six – for a period of time there I thought we played some really strong football, we won six from eight in that middle patch and unfortunately we couldn’t sustain that.
“With what the expectations are from the coaching group, the players will definitely hit the ground running a little quicker than last season – that’s the hope anyway from the coaching group.”
Mooroolbark kicks off its season hosting Bayswater at Heights Reserve on Saturday, April 4.