KANGAROO Flat will look to youth and a more professional off-field structure as the keys to its rise up the All Seasons Bendigo Football League ladder this year.
The Roos have missed the BFL finals for the past six years and failed to win a game last season, but there appears to be a fresh sense of optimism at Dower Park that 2008 will be the year the club begins its revival under new coach Darryl Wilson.
The club has been active on the recruiting front during the pre-season - which it had to - landing 14 new players, with the prospect of more to come.
Among the 14 new players to join the Roos are four who have previously played with the Bendigo Bombers - Tyrone Downie, Andrew Gladman, Daniel Manning and Nathan Meade.
The Roos have also signed former Eaglehawk forward Phil Lobb, who spent last season playing in the Goulburn Valley Football League with Rochester.
Before joining Rochester, Lobb kicked a combined 132 goals in the 2005 and 2006 seasons for the Hawks.
‘‘We’re rapt with Phil because he had committed to us when we hadn’t really got our off-field structure in place yet,’’ Wilson said.
‘‘He played a reserves game for the Bendigo Bombers last year and kicked six goals and I was impressed with the way he went about it.
‘‘So we approached Phil and he thought he had something to offer Bendigo football again and he is going to be a great acquisition for us.’’
The signing of Lobb complements the recruiting of forward Matt Brown, the younger brother of Brisbane Lions’ star Jonathon Brown.
‘‘We also think Tyrone Downie will push forward and provide us with another option,’’ Wilson said.
‘‘But what we have done with our recruiting is target young guys who will be around for two or three years.’’
Kangaroo Flat will also have former Bendigo Pioneer Josh Findlay as a player who can provide a goalscoring option.
Other players the Roos have picked up include Ryan Doherty, who has previously played with the Port Magpies in the SANFL, while he has also represented the Sunraysia Football League for the past three years.
‘‘Ryan is a classy midfielder who will give us a bit of bite around the ball,’’ Wilson said.
‘‘And Andrew Gladman will give us run through the midfield as well.
‘‘What we are looking for is heavy rotation because last year they had all old guys on the ball, so we’re looking to throw youth in there to give us some hard running.’’
Kangaroo Flat has also secured former Pioneers Tim Brooks and Matt Lehane, who played some games with the Roos last season, ex-Shepparton player Tim Kelly, 2006 best and fairest runner-up Trent McInnes returns from Queensland, while former Sydney Swan Rowan Warfe will be a playing assistant coach.
Warfe is one of three assistant coaches supporting Wilson, along with Paul Francis (forwards), Murray Collins (midfield) and Mick Harrington (defence).
As well as the assistant coaches, the Roos have also appointed Brian Duke as ruck coach, Cam Davie as opposition game day coach, former umpire Beres Fitch as fitness and rehab co-ordinator, Paul Hingston as player development coach and Janelle Kilcullen as physio.
The club is also looking to strengthen its position in the community by appointing Troy Auld as the junior development officer.
‘‘What we’re aiming to do is create a club that has a structure similar to that of a VFL club,’’ said Wilson, who spent the past three seasons coaching the Bendigo Bombers reserves.
‘‘We’re looking to support our players to develop them into better players.
‘‘We want to get respect back, start winning games and create a good culture, and we think with the structure we have got we will be able to achieve that.
‘‘We just want to provide the best support we can to our players.’’
The Roos will open their season on April 19 with an away clash against Golden Square.
Kangaroo Flat’s first home game will be on Anzac Day when it hosts Castlemaine under its new lights.
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