Last year: 8th - 3-13

Arrivals: Taylor Beard, Josh Cooper, Nathan Devanny, Nathan Fall, Harry Graham, Ben Gregg, Jarrod Harris, Chris Ling, Kyle Manley, Jack McCaig, Ben McKinley, Thomas Nunn, Jeremy Salinger, Sam Sperling, Nathan Walsh, Adam Ward.

Departures: Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Sam Harvey, Bryce Franzini, Cameron Ross, Tim Rhook, Bret Quin.

Player points: 47

Last flag: 1989

First month:

R1: v Inglewood (a)

R2: v Calivil United (h)

R3: v Maiden Gully YCW (a)

R4: v Pyramid Hill (h)

Past five years:

2018: 8th - 3-13

2017: 7th - 5-11

2016: 5th - 8-9

2015: 6th - 8-8

2014: 4th - 11-7

Last season's MVP top 5:

Bryce Franzini - 41

Zach Turnbull - 38

Jarrod FItzpatrick - 36

Sam Harvey - 31

Josh Griffin - 24

Last season's top 5 goalkickers:

Jarrod Fitzpatrick - 23

Zach Turnbull - 16

Sam Harvey - 15

Bryce Franzini - 15

Tim Rhook - 14

Q and A with co-coach Taylor Beard

There's a lot of names on the arrivals list at Marong. What have you and co-coach Ash Weldon targeted in terms of your recruiting needs?

"Looking at it when Ash and I got appointed, we felt we were lacking depth in the senior ranks, so that was going to be the first thing we needed to tick off.

"We've looked at blokes who we feel can fill the roles we need and we're happy with how we've recruited... now we've got to put it into play."

Have you been able to strengthen up each area of the ground - forward, back and mid - with who you've brought into the club?

"We've looked at a mix of talls and smalls and players across all parts of the ground.

"Nathan Devanny and Nathan Fall are a couple of players we'll play through the midfield, and other blokes like myself and Ben Gregg will go through there as well.

"One area we definitely looked to improve on is bringing in some players who we think can give us a good spread of goals. Ben Gregg, Adam Ward and Sam Sperling, when he's fit, are the sort of players we'll be looking to there, but we haven't been able to get that big key forward this year."

As a new coach into the competition, what style of footy can we expect to see Marong playing this year?

"I'd like to think we'll play an exciting brand when we've got the footy in hand and we'll be looking to defend strongly as well, especially with our ground being quite small."

Summary

A pair of new co-coaches in Taylor Beard and Ash Weldon have taken over the reins at Marong.

With priority No.1 to build the depth at the club, the Panthers appear to have done so given the list of arrivals features what Beard considers to be 16 senior-quality players.

The Panthers need no reminding of the importance of a deep list given they were hit hard by injuries last season and as a result could muster just three wins after what had been a first month of near-misses.

The increased depth will naturally create more competition for spots among the senior team, whose list of departures includes two of its best players of last season in Jarrod Fitzpatrick and Bryce Franzini, plus ruckman Cameron Ross, who has crossed to LVFNL rival Bridgewater.

Add in Sam Harvey and Tim Rhook as well and, along with Fitzpatrick and Franzini, the Panthers have lost four of their top five goalkickers of last year.

Of the arrivals, midfielder Kyle Manley has been a quality player at Marong previously who returns to the club from Boort, as does fellow on-baller Ben Gregg, while Nathan Devanny is another former Panther back at Malone Park in what's a season that marks 30 years since the club's last flag.

With so many new players at the club, plus a number of key players from last year gone, the Panthers are shaping as an unknown quantity this season.

If they can gel well, which will be one of the early challenges for Beard and Weldon, their recruits can impact and they have better luck on the injury front then a more prosperous 2019 may lay ahead for the Panthers.

Practice matches - v Elmore (March 16 at Epsom), v Charlton (March 23, venue TBA).

Related: Catch up with the HDFNL and LVFNL club previews

Related: Special offer for footy and netball fans

Coach: Linda Bickerdike

Last year: Seventh

Arrivals: Bianca Jones, Jacinda Barnes, Tahnee McKibbin, Meg Rothenberger, Kate Healey, Brittany Hercus, Erin Stewart, Darcie Fry.

Departures: Katelyn Kirk, Annie Dullard, Madi Higgins, Maegan Taylor, Nikita Ede.

Coaching panel: Linda Bickerdike (A-grade); Dani Jeffery (B-grade); Jacinta Taylor (C-grade); Caitlyn O'Hara (C-reserve).

Last five years: Seventh (2018); eighth (2017); seventh (2016); ninth (2015); seventh (2014).

Q and A with coach Linda Bickerdike

Heading into your second season as coach, are you confident we will see plenty of improvement from Marong?

"We have had quite a bit of change over in girls who have decided not play this year and girls who are new the club, but I'm confident we will improve. Like other clubs, no doubt, we had successful tryouts, and have added some new players, who look very promising. I feel our A-grade team will be stronger, so I guess our improvement (in terms of wins) will fdepende on how much other clubs have strengthened as well."

Only three wins for the A-grade team in 2018, but I am sure you would feel there were still plenty of bright spots?

"A bit like this year there was quite an influx of new players last year and a bit of getting to know each other and learning how each other play, so I thought they did very well under the circumstances. They might not have won as many games as we would have liked, but their never-die attitude was awesome. The girls would step on the court and from the first whistle until the end of the game they would never stop - they never dropped their heads. If we can build on that things should pick up this year. It's a very positive group of girls. I believe we are headed in the right direction and I feel these girls will only continue growing."

Unlike last year when you played one of the previous season's finalists, you have drawn Inglewood, which is returning to A-grade this season, first up. Any thoughts?

"I'm pleased to see them back in, just as they are no doubt happy to be back. It's a positive for everyone in the league and a match we are certainly looking forward to."

SUMMARY

Marong will head into the new season full of confidence following the arrival of plenty of fresh faces and on the back of plenty of improved performances last season.

The Panthers won just three games for the season - highlighted by a stunning victory over the previous season's premiers Pyramid Hill in round three - but did come close in a handful of other games against the likes of Calivil United, Maiden Gully YCW and Newbridge.

If they are able to replicate that spirit and fight, there should be a few more wins in-store.

Marong gets its chance to get on the board early, with its opening round game serving as Inglewood's return game back in A-grade. Importantly, in terms of building momentum, the Panthers will only play one of last season's top three (Calivil United) in the opening five rounds.

Maegan Taylor, Annie Dullard and Madi Higgins are the major outs for this season, while a big list of inclusions is spearheaded by former Strathfieldsaye grand final player Bianca Jones and midcourter Jacinda Barnes, who was a best and fairest winner at her former club Picola United.

These add to the Panthers existing talent-base, led by Kim Dalton, who capped a brilliant 2018 season by finishing equal fourth in the league best and fairest award, and including Dani Jeffery and Teagan Bickerdike.

The Panthers had their first practice match last Saturday against Elmore and will round out their commitments against Charlton on March 23 and Heathcote on March 28.

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