RELATED COVERAGE: Gippsland League’s great expectations
Coach: Shaun Mooney
Last season: Fifth | 11 wins, 7 losses
Round one: Drouin
IN: Campbell Health – assistant coach (Sydney, Port Adelaide) Tom Smith (Wy Yung), David Donchi (Lindenow), Adam Wallace (Sale), Cameron Streeter (Romsey)
OUT: Sam Pickett (Ellinbank & District FL) , Jack Vickers (Delaselle), Dean Jamieson (Western Australia Work Commitments), Wes Russell (Injured), Kane Ashwood (Injured)
“We were happy with the way we started the season last year. We certainly feel we took steps forward last year, we want to continue to improve and be consistently hard to play against week in week out. It’s not secret we finished last year poorly and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Coach: Bob McCallum
Last season: 10th | 0 wins, 18 losses
Round one: Bairnsdale
IN: Bob McCallum (Buln Buln), Andrew Spinks (Melbourne Uni Blacks), Damon Healy (Mildura), Daniel Nicholls, Cameron Hall, Damian Carmody (former captain), Daniel Brand, Sam Proctor, Sean Proctor, Daniel Seri, Jordan Kingi, Jordan Edwards, Steven Ballingall
OUT: Brenton Lockart (Poowong Coach), Simon Gardner (Poowong)
“We are excited but also a bit apprehensive. We don’t know how good we are going to be but we will be better than last year” – Eric Bott, Drouin President.
Coach: Beau Vernon
Last season: Seventh | 7 wins, 11 losses
Round one: Traralgon
IN: Tas Clingan (Overseas), Jake Best (Casey VFL)
OUT: Mark Truscio, Chris Bruns, Jimmy Parry
“I don’t really know what to expect. Looking at the draw we have a tough first month, which will give us a good indication of where we are at as a team. We are definitely aiming for finals, anything can happen from there.”
Coach: Wayne Butcher
Last season: Fourth | 11 wins, 7 losses
Round one: Sale
IN: Sam Pleming (Port Melbourne VFL), Danny Butcher (Port Adelaide Magpies SAFNL), Jake Roe-Duggan (Darwin), Jake Heavyside (Bendigo)
OUT: Owen Booth (Boisdale/Briagolong), Brad Caldwell (Rosedale)
“We finished fourth last year. Still hoping to finish higher if we can.”
Coach: Adrian Burgiel
Last season: Eighth | 4 wins, 14 losses
Round one: Warragul
IN: Mark Engley (Glengarry), Tyson Biffin – Onballer, Mark Hibbs (Newborough)
OUT: Kane Airdrie (Strathfieldsaye), John James (Overseas)
“We want to sneak into the finals if we can. We won four games and lost three by under a goal so if we can improve on that, that might get us close to fifth spot.”
Coach: Dean Warren
Last season: Premier | 1st | 16 wins, 2 losses
Round one: Wonthaggi
IN: Jack Brown (Morwell East), James Appleford, Corey Oliver, Tom Crosby
OUT: Harmit Singh (Northcote Park), Tarkyn Lockyer (Northcote Park), Ash Close (Northcote Park), Adam Bailey (YYN Coach), Tom Hutton (Yallourn North), Campbell McInnes, Boyd Bailey (Frankston), Brandon Bailey (Coburg), Dean MacDonald (Coburg)
“I didn’t want to take on a grand final side and finish no where … I want to be competitive and I think we will be. We want to play finals.”
Coach: Travis Ronaldson
Last season: Preliminary final | 2nd | 16 wins, 2 losses
Round one: Maffra
IN: Adam Helmke (Boisdale/Briagolong)
OUT: Matt Ferguson (Strathfieldsaye), Mitch Davis (Vermont)
“We will be looking to play a different style of footy. To be honest we are just concentrating on being really competitive. I don’t know enough about the teams in the competition to say where we will finish. We will just take it one week at a time, concentrate on playing good footy and go from there.”
Coach: Mark Collison
Last season: Sixth | 9 wins, 8 losses, 1 draw
Round one: Leongatha
IN: Mark Collison (Coach), Ben Amberg, Adam Jaensch (Gormandale), Mark Van Dyke – Ruckman (Boolarra), Brendan Campbell (Boolarra)
OUT: Justin Fulton (Lakes Entrance), Jaime Aitkin (Yinnar), Jayden Steers (Warragul Industrials)
“We expect to play finals. We will be very disappointed if we don’t.”
Coach: Steven Kidd
Last season: 9th | 2 wins, 16 losses
Round one: Moe
IN: Steven Kidd – Coach (Narre Warren), Jarryd Drew (Casey Scorpions), Sam Russell (Poowong FC), Ambo Uliando (Hill End), Matt Mosely (Hill End)
OUT: Lachlan Petch (Bunyip), Tom Fusinato (Fish Creek), Chris Lee (Clayton)
“We are really not putting a figure on wins or losses. We understand that it’s not about that. It’s about improving and just developing a good culture and feeling around the club.”
Coach: Rob Railton
Last season: Grand final | 3rd | 13 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw
Round one: Morwell
IN: Adam Cook (Returning from Injury)
OUT: Aaron Ware (Retired), Jack Blair (Collingwood/VFL)
“It’s a long year; it’s a marathon not a sprint. Our effort has always been good, that’s our trademark. We will go in and try and win each game and see what happens.”
