By Ryan Long.
They were one of the most talked about sides of the 2023 season, South Belgrave’s undefeated year in Division One came to a bitter end on Grand Final Day, with a five-point loss to Mitcham.
It was just the Saints’ first season at the Division One level after the triumphs of 2022, strolling to a dominant Division Two premiership.
Coming up short on the biggest stage of the season last year, the club have moved their focus quickly, only getting stronger over the off-season.
Heath Black has taken over the role of senior coach from Luke Galliott, but the two will be working closely in 2024 with Galliott remaining as a line coach.
A rare occurrence but one that Black believes will be successful at South Belgrave.
“I’m sure it’s happened before and there’s a precedent there but I can’t recall a coach coming in and working with the previous coach, it’s unique,” Black said.
We get on really, really well and just tapping into him, his knowledge on the playing list, and opposition as well, I think it puts me ahead half a year than what it would have taken me if I was just on my own.”
Both coaches will work alongside the likes of Ex St Kilda and Melbourne star Luke Dunstan, who has committed to the club in 2024, also as an assistant.
“Being able to tap into a Luke Dunstan who’s recovering from his ACL but has come straight out of the system and to look after our midfield group is amazing for myself and to the players,
“Luke will look after our defensive group, and we’ve gone with Tim Smith and Taylor Garner to look after our forward line and addressing our group at breaks,
“We’ve also got Sean Butler who’ll do our opposition analysis and also look at specific opposition stuff game day.”
Last year, the ‘twin towers’ of Tim Smith and Taylor Garner combined for 93 goals, despite missing seven games between them.
Heath Black has taken note of the reliance on the two star forwards and is eager to look at managing their forward 50 entries.
“Everyone knows in the league that our twin towers up forward are very, very dangerous,”
“But we’re trying to get our team to lower their eyes and bring the footy in a different way, a more efficient way and not having to rely on Garner and Smith to create miracles which they do 90% of the time,”
“But we’ve got to bring the footy in different ways to be able to put the opposition off.”
It’s hard to fault much of a side that won 20 straight games last season, but the Tigers were able to read the play particularly well on Grand Final Day, giving the Saints a couple of things to work on over the off-season.
“They rebounded really well,” Black said.
“They won clearances, South Belgrave really prides themselves on that clearance game so for Mitcham to come in and turn that around, win clearance and effectively rebound off back 50 are the areas we’ve really honed in on this year.”
The stage is set for tomorrow’s highly anticipated Grand Final rematch at Walker Park. The Saints have the great luxury of picking from an even stronger list than last season with a series of recruits.
Blake Simondson joins the club on a full-time basis after a pre-season with the North Melbourne VFL side,
“Blake just lives and breathes footy, he’s tenacious on the field, he’s played in the two practice matches,” Black said.
“His fitness from doing a VFL preseason is at another level, he can play as a hybrid forward that can play tall, he can play as an inside mid, he’s exploding out of the contest is really good to watch so he’s been amazing for us coming to us full-time.”
Silvan star midfielder Matteo D’Alfonso has joined the club, excited to test himself out at a higher level.
In a short period of time at the club, he’s already emerged as a future leader of the Saints.
“Matteo – probably had one of the best pre-seasons, coming from a lower level and maybe having doubt within himself about the jump up, he has been outstanding and has been voted into our emerging leaders group,
“We had a really tough Saturday morning session that went for four hours and he was awarded the best trainer in that session, he’s just been amazing for the group.”
Lachlan Benson also joins the side to increase the club’s ruck and forward stocks. Coming off an ankle injury, he’ll be eased back into senior footy when ready.
Also, a strong suit for the club is the young talent that is rising the ranks, Will Bromley, Brayden Ryan and Jack Meyers.
“Will Bromley comes to mind, a running half-back who’s had a really good pre-season,
“Brayden Ryan with his running capacity and endurance, he’s a really important person to our team, he’s only young,”
“And we’ve trialled a Jack Meyers who’s popped up from the 19s and he’s played two practice matches, really silky skills, we can see the future in him, whether it’s half a year, quarter a year or a full year, it’s up to him because we rate him really highly,”
Selection time each week is set to cause a few headaches with plenty of VFL-listed talent’s availability depending on their selection at the higher level.
“98% of the time you don’t know the squad until your VFL players give you a text or a call on Thursday night after their last training session at VFL,”
“We’ve got to be prepared for that, we’ve been really open and honest with the players that there could be up to 3-4 changes with VFL players coming back.”
2023 also finished with a similar result for the South Belgrave Senior Women’s side, going down by less than a kick in the Grand Final.
However, unlike the Senior Men’s, they entered the game as the underdog, coming up against a fierce Eastern Devils outfit that was undefeated.
Senior Coach Kate Cattanach was thrilled with the way the players handled themselves on Grand Final Day as well as the year overall.
“Couldn’t be prouder of the girls from myself and the club,” Cattanach said.
“To go from their first year of premier division and then their second year to go all the way to the final game and go won by just three points, couldn’t be prouder.”
The side will be a strong contender again in the Premier Division. South Belgrave will be fielding just one team with a very healthy list.
“All the core players from the senior side which is very exciting,”
“We have gone down to one side because we struggled with numbers last season with two teams, we thought it was the best call to have one really strong team.”
Former Box Hill and Southern Saints star Nikki Cormack has committed to the club in a full-time position, joining the side’s leadership group.
“She’s joining full time, just her knowledge from VFL with the Hawks and Saints, bringing that to our club level is really exciting so she’s always got a voice at training.”
Adding to the VFL talent, Ebony Nixon also joins the list, who has experience with both Nikki Cormack and Olivia Flanagan.
“The girls came together really well, we also introduced Ebony Nixon who played with Nikki Cormack and Olivia Flanagan,”
“So watching the three of them link up together, that’s just going to be a super strength that we have.”
They’ve all been standouts across the pre-season for the Premier Division club.
Baylie Withers will once again lead the way as a captain of the squad, working closely with Nikki Cormack.
“Baylie and Nikki are just going to work fantastic together, moving forward into this season, already standing out as leaders at the club and showing the young girls how to go about it.”
Coming off the back of a phenomenal season, Jemma Mason will be set to develop her game further in 2024.
“She had an outstanding season, she was our rising star last year, and she’s just taken her game to another level,” Cattanach said.
“She got super pace, picks up the ball at pace and kicks well.”
Kate Cattanach will also play another vital role in the South Belgrave Veteran Women’s squad.
Her ability on the field saw her take away the league’s best and fairest in a premiership year for the side.
“It’s very exciting, keep going from strength to strength, we had the Vets team in the Grand Final, the premier division side in a grand final, and the other women’s team in a prelim final,”
“Again we’re really lucky, coming up through the juniors, they’re working hard to develop all the girls there.”
