Photo: Wantirna South Junior Football Club
44 DAYS TO GO | Wantirna South junior president Paul Montgomery spoke to EFNL Media ahead of the 2020 season, all thanks to Yarra Valley Water & Choose Tap.
Overall, were you satisfied with what the club achieved, both on and off the field, in 2019?
Paul Montgomery: Extremely satisfied with the year with the continued expansion of our female numbers across four teams and the introduction of our inclusion initiatives as part of our Auskick program. Add to this six of our nine competitive teams qualifying for finals with four of those reaching grand finals resulting in three premierships (including our first two female flags) along with very strong numbers in our non-competitive age groups. The club is in a strong position with still much more upside to come.
Approximately how many teams do you think you will field in 2020?
PM: At this stage we intend to field 18 teams in 2020 with our female numbers growing to four within this total.
What has the feeling been like around the club over the pre-season?
PM: There continues to be a positive vibe around the club on the back of a number of positive seasons. The committee continues to strive to improve the club in all areas and looks to support and develop our band of passionate and enthusiastic coaches who are inspiring our players through establishing fun and engaging learning environments.
If you had to pick one, which team do you think is the club’s best chance of winning a premiership this season, and why?
PM: Our under-15 boys came really close last year in a tight grand final and are going to put themselves in a position to give themselves another shot at a flag.
The under-14 boys have had a couple of challenging years and we are all looking forward to them having a good run at it. We are also really excited to see how our under-14 girls go as many of this group enter their third year of competitive football.
Is there a particular age group of players that you need as soon as possible to fill a team ahead of Round 1?
PM: As our female program expands into the older age groups we are always looking to add players into the under-14 and under-16 age groups. From the boys side of things, extra players at under-17 level – where we expanded to two teams for the first time in a number of years in 2019 – are always welcome along with the under-9 and 10 boys.
If any players are interested in playing for your club this season, what do they have to do?
PM: Any potential new players should make contact with our registrations manager at registrations@wsjfc.org.au
