Natte Bealiba’s new senior coach Shane Green expects to have the Swans back challenging for the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League flag in 2013.
The injury-riddled Swans were knocked out in an elimination final last year after tasting premiership success in 2011.
Most of the squad from that flag are still at the club and Green believes his team is capable of climbing back to the top.
“I very much think so, once you’ve been to the mountain top and tasted success you want to go back,” Green said.
“They haven’t lost any guys at the moment, which is good.
“What we want to do is recruit, but also have a strong seconds too. They said to me depth is something we need to work on.”
Green, 47, has coached Castlemaine’s juniors to five premierships during a 14-year coaching career, while he also led the Magpies’ reserves to the grand final in 1999.
His last senior coaching role was as Campbells Creek in 2011 where he was forced to quit because of a family illness.
Green isn’t too concerned that Natte Bealiba hasn’t started pre-season training, which begins on January 14.
“Ideally you’d have another four or five weeks under your belt by now.
“Obviously our challenge will be in the next 12 weeks to have a good pre-season and get ourselves ready,” he said.
“It’s a disadvantage in one way, it can be an advantage in another. By the time we get to the end of the year, if we’re positioned where we want to be we’ll be fresher.”
While improving his players’ base fitness is a focus, Green’s other priority will be developing the club’s values.
“We’ll be looking at developing team goals in terms of what we want to achieve, and also what is very important is values – how we act, how we behave and treat each other,” he said.
“I like having a lot of integrity and character in what we do, there’s people out there that will sell their souls to do things, but I won’t and I doubt these people will either.”
Natte Bealiba president Alan Mills said Green’s appointment has brought excitement to the club.
“Shane came across to our committee very well, he was very well prepared and brings a bit of excitement to the club,” Mills said.
“With Shane’s experience and new ideas the club should go forward a long way.”
Green takes over from Brent Mortlock, who stepped down from the senior coach’s position to focus on his football.