NEWBRIDGE
FOOTBALL
Coach: Brad Comer (2nd year)
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Last year: Premiers - 16-2
Arrivals: Cameron Rinaldi, Jack Timmins.
Departures: Nathan Bacon, Jordan Cavallaro, Jack Fowler, Tommy Horne.
Player points: 45
Last flag: 2018
First month:
R1: v Calivil United (a)
R2: Bye
R3: v Mitiamo (h)
R4: v Inglewood (h)
Past five years:
2018: 1st - 16-2
2017: 3rd - 12-7
2016: 6th - 7-9
2015: 7th - 6-9-1
2014: 5th - 10-7
Last season's MVP top 5:
Tommy Horne - 54
Nathan Bacon - 47
Tyler Romeril - 42
Jack Fowler - 31
Jordan Gilboy - 26
Last season's top 5 goalkickers:
Jordan Gilboy - 74
Sam Mildren - 28
Rhys Ford - 23
Sam Kennedy - 21
Zach Heaslip - 15
Q and A with coach Brad Comer
This time last year Newbridge was the raging hot flag favourite and duly went on to win it. You have said though that you're more excited about this year than last. Why is that?
"We're such a young list and the blokes now have got a real taste for a bit of success and playing finals footy.
"Their attitude on the track has been fantastic and I think it holds us in good stead for a really exciting year.
"We were touted as the favourites last year, but we never brought into any of that outside noise.
"We've got a lot of blokes who have really taken off in their footy from last year and that's what makes this season really exciting."
You were forced to play your captain Jordan Gilboy permanent forward last year due to a foot injury. Will you inject him back into the midfield this season?
"Yeah, he will go back into the middle.
"Since we started our running program in the pre-season he hasn't missed a beat. He sets the standard at training and it's all systems go for Jordy back in the midfield... he's 100 percent."
As good as Newbridge was last season, teams always need to look at ways to evolve and get better. Where do you think further improvement can come from this season?
"We were reasonably fit last year, but I still felt there was room for improvement, which is something we've worked hard on.
"And I also think we'll have a bit more of a spread. On paper we look like we'll have a really good, even spread across the deck, which I think is exciting for the club.
"And you can never work on your ball skills enough... with increased fitness comes more confidence in your body and ability to use the ball well and we've probably honed our skills a bit better."
Summary
Newbridge will carry the tag as the reigning premiers after last season ending an 18-year premiership drought with their first flag since 2000.
While the Maroons are again shaping up as a team to be reckoned with, two of their biggest rivals of last year in Maiden Gully YCW and Mitiamo both look stronger, which will turn the heat-up on Newbridge in its quest to go back-to-back.
Following a heavy recruiting campaign leading into 2018, this year has been far more subdued for the Maroons, whose list of inclusions features only two names - forward Cameron Rinaldi and Jack Timmins, who is described as a skillful midfielder by coach Brad Comer.
There has been some turnover from the premiership team, with key on-ball duo Tommy Horne (Hepburn) and Nathan Bacon (LBU) both on the move, as is Jack Fowler, who was one of the Maroons' best in the grand final win over Mitiamo.
And key defender Alex Code, who was best-on-ground in the grand final, is headed to Harcourt, while forward Rhys Ford signaled his intentions after the premiership win to hang up the boots.
Bacon and Horne both finished top four in the league's Harding Medal last year, but the return to the midfield of captain Jordan Gilboy will help to offset their departures.
A foot stress fracture restricted Gilboy to playing a permanent forward role last year and he reveled in the change, kicking a league-best 74 goals.
Coach Brad Comer says he's more excited about what this year can hold than he was at the same time last season and that's ominous for the teams who are lining up to dethrone the Maroons.
Practice matches - v Lalor (March 23 at Lalor), v Carisbrook (March 30 at Newbridge).
Related: Catch up on the LVFNL club previews
Related: HDFNL club-by-club season previews
NETBALL
Coach Jane Reid (first year)
Last year: Fifth
Arrivals: Jane Reid, Alyssia Cole, Leah Dixon, Sarah Moerke.
Coaching panel: Jane Reid (A-grade); Rachel Pettifer (B-grade); Selina Holland (C-grade); Tara Alexander (C-reserve); Nadine Holland (17-and-under); Danielle Wells (15-and-under); Tara Alexander (minis).
Last five years: Fifth (2018); third (2017); premiers (2016); fourth (2015); sixth (2014).
Q and A with coach Jane Reid
You've returned to Newbridge after a season away. We are guessing it wasn't a hard decision to make to return?
"I would describe it as feeling like 'I'm back at a home club'. North Bendigo was certainly a fantastic club to be a part of for that half a season last year because I had (baby) Eleanor, I was really close to home and did not have to do much travel, which was really good. And it was great to get to know El (Findlay) as a coach as she is such a knowledgeable coach - I learned a lot from her and that actually gave me the confidence to take on the coaching at Newbridge. I like taking on some form of leadership role, it's good for building my skills outside of work as well."
How well do you think you're a-grade squad has come together over the pre-season?
"We've got some good height at both ends, with Tracey (O'Donnell) down one end and myself up the other end, which I'm happy with. We also have a lot of speed in the midcourt. We have been trying out some set plays and setting some goals for the season, which has been the major focus of the last few weeks of our pre-season. Starting from January we've done a lot of work on our fitness, so now we have started to work a lot more on our game and ball skills."
You have embarked on something a bit unique in terms of your practice match schedule with a series of games against North Bendigo? What benefits are you seeing from that?
"I am a massive fan of getting game time in before the season starts. We normally do the Flora Hill competition, which can be a struggle with starting times as some of the girls, including myself, have kids. When I talked to El, she was very keen on doing it. It gives them opportunity to finalise their side, whereas we have already chosen our line-up."
Alyssa Cole looks like being a key recruit after winning a Heathcote District league A-reserve best and fairest with a powerful White Hills?
"She will be huge for us. She is such a quick player and we will benefit with not just her skills on the court, but her knowledge. Already at training you can see all the girls soaking up her knowledge, including myself. I am not the kind of coach who is going to pretend I know everything, I'm still young. I have played against Alyssa for as long as I can remember playing netball, including juniors, and I have always respected her as a player. I am looking forward to working as a combo."
SUMMARY
Newbridge will be hoping to turns its flashes of brilliance in 2018 into consistency in 2019.
The Maroons pieced together some impressive performances against last season's top three on the way to a fourth-place finish at the end of the home and away season, highlighted by a draw against the eventual premiers Bridgewater and a nail-biting three goal loss to Mitiamo.
They also defeated Maiden Gully YCW twice, but fell to that same opponent in the elimination final on their home courts at Newbridge.
So the key challenge for the Maroons heading into the new season will be consistency.
There is every expectation they will be able to achieve that following some astute off-season recruiting.
The Maroons have welcomed back class goal shooter Jane Reid, who has taken over the coaching reins from gun midcourter Rachel Pettifer.
Reid, who spent the second half of last season at HDFNL club North Bendigo, following the birth of daughter Eleanor, was a key in the Maroons' drought-breaking premiership in 2016 and was fourth in the league medal count in her last season in the LVFNL.
She will be joined in the goal circle by recruit Alyssa Cole, who joins the Maroons after a successful stint with White Hills, a league A-reserve best and fairest included.
Equally as important for Newbridge is the return of 2017 joint league medallist Meg Jennings, who missed the back half of 2018 with a knee injury.
Those additions, alongside existing talent in Pettifer, Tracey O'Donnell, Lauren Knight and last season's league best and fairest runner-up Sharelene Hannig, should make the Maroons a formidable challenger for higher honours in 2019.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.