By: Hayden Tilbrook
FOLLOWING Fairpark’s strong start to the 2019 Division 4 season, Lions senior coach Sean Stanton joined the team on EFL Sunday to discuss his club’s strong position both on and off the park.
After grinding out a 13.9 (87) to 9.16 (70) victory over Silvan in Round 2, Stanton spoke of the excitement surrounding Fairpark.
“We’ve probably under-performed for a few years now, so it’s good to start well,” he said.
“We had a huge crowd turn out, it was a pretty tough, competitive game of football and we thankfully got the four points at the end of the day.
“There’s been huge hype around the footy club. I was getting to the ground at 11 o’clock and there were cars parked down the street which is unheard of down at Fairpark.”
Stanton said that the enthusiasm was infectious throughout the club, with playing numbers at an all-time high.
“It’s hard to believe, when you get 70 people on the track on a Thursday it’s hard to fit everyone on there at Fairpark,” he said.
Aside from Fairpark’s contagious positivity, the club has been a major beneficiary of the closure of the Southern Football League’s Mount Waverley for season 2019, with a host of experienced options making their way over to the Lions.
The Lions coach said the influx of players at the club had presented itself with some challenges, albeit all of them positive.
“I kid you not, I think I didn’t sleep two nights leading into selection for Round 1,” Stanton said.
“There were a lot of blokes that were pretty unlucky.”
Stanton said he had been impressed with the attitude and character shown by the club’s Mount Waverley recruits.
“The pleasing part was a few of them could’ve thrown the toys out of the cot, so to speak, but they’ve stuck around and they’re playing good football and they’ll get their opportunity at some point,” he said.
“It’s obviously hard after Round 1, when we win by close to 180 points to make too many changes, but things will change at some point … they’ll get their chance.”
Among the mass of players gravitating to the Lions was Mount Waverley player-coach Michael Keem, and Stanton has been thrilled with what his high-profile recruit had brought to the club already.
“He’s a six-foot-four midfielder, he’s got great leadership qualities, he’s a terrific bloke, fantastic player and I think he’s fitted in really well,” Stanton said.
“He’s probably the standout so far.”
The buzz around the club will come to a head in Round 3 as Fairpark host Surrey Park for the club’s traditional Anzac weekend home game under lights at Fairpark Reserve on April 27.
With the game scheduled to begin at 6.10pm, the senior coach said the clash will be much-anticipated by the Lions’ faithful.
“It’s probably the biggest game we play all year,” Stanton said.
“At home, Fairpark, obviously Anzac Day weekend, so we’ll get a huge crowd.
“There’ll be a bit of a ceremony pre-game … the club puts on a terrific day – there’ll be some live music, there will be food stalls, it’ll have everything there.
“It should make for an entertaining evening and hopefully we can get a big crowd and we can get another victory.”
Fairpark’s on-field form has backed up its excitement off the field, as the club recently secured $3 million of funding from Alan Tudge MP for a new multipurpose community hub at Fairpark Reserve.
The Lions senior coach is looking forward to seeing his club’s future success.
“It’s unbelievable,” Stanton said.
“It’s mind-blowing to think that little Fairpark in a few years’ time is going to have an unbelievable facility … it’s fantastic for the community.
“I only hope we can keep winning games of footy so I’ve still got a job in a few years’ time so I can enjoy it.”