BEARS LAGOON-SERPENTINE
FOOTBALL
Coach: Greg Gadsden (4th year)
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Last year: 5th - 9-8
Arrivals: Jaye Farnsworth, Matthew Gibbs, Billy Hawkes, Brodie Leonard-Shannon, Oliver Leonard-Shannon, Josh Shaw, Nicholas Swan.
Departures: Jed Bish, Daniel Hayes, Ben McKinley, Jasper Walker-Corbett.
Player points: 45
Last flag: 1995
First month:
R1: Bye
R2: v Inglewood (h)
R3: v Calivil United (a)
R4: v Mitiamo (a)
Past five years:
2018: 5th - 9-8
2017: 5th - 9-8
2016: 9th - 0-16
2015: 3rd - 10-9
2014: 2nd - 13-7
Q and A with coach Greg Gadsden
Your season ended last year with a 79-point elimination final loss to Mitiamo. What deficiencies did that result highlight that you've sought to address over the pre-season?
"The biggest thing out of that was we still lacked a few big bodies in the midfield. We've recruited a couple of players that we think will, hopefully, fill that void for us.
"Having said that, that was also our worst game of the year on the big stage, but we felt we needed to address a few issues in regards to players who go hard at the ball."
You have got two recruits in Matthew Gibbs and Billy Hawkes from the renowned Northern league. What can you tell us about those two players?
"Billy Hawkes is a midfield player with a big, strong body. He's not super tall, but is a good size and has good skills. And Matty Gibbs is a very fast runner who also has a big body.
"We think those two, along with Ollie Leonard-Shannon, coming into our midfield will make a big difference."
Having finished fifth the past two seasons, the club must be desperate to jump that hurdle and at least win a final this year.
"The biggest challenge is to win a final, so the first job like every other team is to make sure we win enough games to get there.
"I think we've got a group now that has matured more and it's going to be up to them to take the next step and get a finals win under their belt.
"Whether we're good enough to challenge for top three, I'm not sure, but we'll be having a crack at it."
SUMMARY
The Bears are coming off a pair of fifth-placed finishes over the past two years, but with a contrast.
In 2017 they were a massive surprise packet in getting to the finals given they were coming off a winless 2016.
Yet last year's fifth-placed finish was below what was predicted given the massive step forward they had taken the previous season and expected continued improvement.
The Bears have a pair of familiar faces back from Boort in the classy Josh Shaw, who is dangerous in front of goal, and Brodie Leonard-Shannon, who have both previously played at the club during years when it made the grand final.
And with a need to add in some bigger midfield bodies, the Bears have secured the pair of Matthew Gibbs and Billy Hawkes from Northern league club Watsonia.
Shaw, Leonard-Shannon, Gibbs and Hawkes are among seven new recruits for the Bears, who are now into the fourth year of their rebuild that began in 2016.
A key starting point for the Bears improving on fifth is to avoid the poor start of last year when they lost their opening four games and spent the rest of the season chasing their tail.
And finding a far greater level of consistency will also be crucial given the Bears were good enough last year to beat top three sides Maiden Gully YCW and Mitiamo, yet also lost to second-last Marong.
The Bears, who have the bye in the opening round, look to have a side that should play finals again - but can they take that next step and get beyond the first week?
Practice matches - v Newstead (March 23 at Serpentine), North Bendigo Country Football Challenge (March 29-31).
NETBALL
Coach: Sally Sheahan (first year)
Last year: Eighth
Arrivals: Emily Streeter, Shannon Hansford, Yelana Jennings, Taylor Matthews, Ruby Poynton, Kenzie Lea, Bridgitt Bailey, Jayde Ellis, Renae Chambers.
Departures: Cara Bastian, Caitlyn Hocking, Emma Brooks, Jaimi Elgar, Hannah Perry, Aryelle Winccomb.
Last five years: Eighth (2018); sixth (2017); eighth (2016); seventh (2015); eighth (2014).
Q and A with coach Sally Sheahan
It's your first season with Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, what have been your initial impressions?
"It has been great, the girls have a lot of talent. When we had our tryouts, I walked away with a smile on my face. There are girls who have a lot of talent, but just need a structure, which is what we have been working on on Tuesday nights at Flora Hill. I feel we are looking strong. I'm stoked to have the girls we have and the club has really backed us."
You have been playing in the Tuesday night competition at Flora Hill. How has that experience been?
"It's been really positive. It's giving us a chance to work on the areas we really need to work on. We started back at Serp (last week) and have really started concentrating on the ball work and structure play."
There were no wins for the Bears in 2018. Are you confident there will be more than a few this season?
"Absolutely. I am willing to do anything to help the girls and I think we can win a lot more games. My goal is to make finals with a few teams and hopefully we can go further."
SUMMARY
The only way is up for Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, who has welcomed a new coach in Sally Sheahan, who replaces former leader Cara Bastian following a two-year stint at the helm.
Bastian led the Bears to the brink of finals in 2017, but a shocking run of injuries - including losing their coach in the lead-up to the season - conspired to send them tumbling down the ladder.
The Bears have quickly put that behind them and will enter the season with renewed vigour and confidence.
Much of the enthusiasm is being generated by the new coach, who led South Bendigo to a B-reserve flag in 2016 and also took Inglewood's C-reserve team to finals before that.
Sheahan will be starting from scratch in some regards, with few of last year's A-grade line returning and nine new players in total joining the club and a further three - Ellen McRae, Caity Sleeman and Annie Chalmers - returning from a break.
She has been encouraged by the club's performances in the Tuesday night competition at Flora Hill and is confident the club can significantly improve under her direction.
The Bears get an early chance to build some momentum, with its first game (following a first round bye) against Inglewood, which is returning to A-grade after a one year hiatus.
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