PYRAMID HILL
FOOTBALL
Coach: Adrian McErvale (new)
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Last year: 4th - 10-8
Arrivals: Braidy Dickens, Evan Dorrington, Bailey George, Bevan Gunther, Scott Mann, Sam Mewett, Dylan Morison, Lachie O'Toole, James Sala, Matthew Shaddock, Joel Woolhouse.
Departures: Pece Micevski, Taylor Smart, Riely Thiesz.
Player points: 45
Last flag: 1950
First month:
R1: v Bridgewater (h)
R2: v Mitiamo (a)
R3: Bye
R4: v Marong (a)
Past five years:
2018: 4th - 10-8
2017: 6th - 8-8
2016: 4th - 8-10
2015: 4th - 13-5
2014: 3rd - 13-6
Last season's MVP top 5:
Billy Micevski - 48
Matt Klein-Breteler - 46
Steven Gunther - 42
Gavin James - 39
Adrian Holland - 38
Last season's top 5 goalkickers:
Nathan Fitzpatrick - 38
Mitch Cheesman - 32
Steven Gunther - 13
Billy Micevski - 12
Jack Woodward - 12
Q and A with coach Adrian McErvale
How have you gone about preparing for your first year as a senior coach and what do you hope to bring to the role?
"The playing group that the past coaches (Brad Fawcett and Gavin James) have put together is a really good young list that showed a lot of promise last year, particularly in helping us get over the line in a lot of tight games.
"My role as coach is to try to get the young players to go to the next level and play at a consistent senior standard."
You probably caught a few opposition teams off guard last year with the way in which you were able to win your first six games and get over the line in several tight ones. What goals have you set for this year on the back of a big step forward last season?
"Obviously, one of the goals would be to try to finish in the top three, but it's always hard to get a gauge in the Loddon Valley league.
"Most probably would have thought that last year we wouldn't be anywhere near it, but we probably did catch a few teams off guard and had a lot of players show promise.
"There looks to be a lot of teams this year capable of finishing in the top three and we just need to make sure we're ahead of the game and doing all the right things to get there."
Your under-18s have won the past couple of flags under the super coach Nathan Fitzpatrick. What opportunities at senior level will there be for some of the young players who have been part of that success?
"There will be opportunities for them to grow. Our core age group is going to be in the low 20s outside of myself and Matt Klein-Breteler.
"We have a really young list with the majority of the players around the 19 to 22-year mark and the young ones coming through from the under-18s help to put a bit more pressure on for spots.
"We're really happy with the depth we've got at the club and think we'll be a lot more balanced with how we set up across the ground."
Summary
The Bulldogs showed last season they are a young team on the rise.
In what had been touted pre-season by former co-coach Brad Fawcett as a development year focused on youth, the Bulldogs bounced back from a rare year out of the finals in 2017 to finish top-three.
Even though they bowed out in straight sets, the chance to play two finals - one of which was a one-point loss to Mitiamo - can only hold the young group in good stead and whet their appetite.
One area the Bulldogs will need to improve in to take the next step is to find some more goalscoring power.
Despite finishing third on the ladder, they kicked just one score above 100 - they won five games by scoring less than 78 points - and had a percentage of under 100 (95.0).
Only Nathan Fitzpatrick (38) and Mitch Cheesman (32) kicked more than 13 goals for the Bulldogs last year, and Cheesman will miss this season with a knee injury.
The inclusion of veteran Lachlan O'Toole, who is returning to the field this year, and Braidy Dickens will help with some extra avenues to goal.
O'Toole and Dickens, a former captain of Huntly, have both played senior football in the Bendigo league, as has another of the Bulldogs' recruits in Bailey George from Golden Square.
With 11 senior players added to the list and only three departures, the Bulldogs have a springboard to launch from and continue their push to end one of country Victoria's longest premiership droughts that stretches back to 1950.
And unlike early last year, opposition sides certainly won't be falling into the trap of underestimating the Bulldogs under new coach Adrian McErvale.
Practice matches - v Wycheproof-Narraport (March 15 at Pyramid Hill), v Macorna (March 22 at Pyramid Hill), v Heathcote (March 30 at Heathcote).
NETBALL
Coach: Emily Prout (first year)
Last year: Sixth
Arrivals: Grace Broderick, Chloe Broderick, Breeanna Toomey, Lani Madill, Katey Cutlack, Kelsey Williams.
Departures: Zoe Kennedy, Delainey Holmes, Milly Opt'Hoog, Abbey Dingwall.
Coaching panel: Emily Prout (A-grade); Bec McKnight (B-grade); Kelly Gould (C-grade and C-reserve); Vicky Tierney (17-and-under and 15-and-under).
Last five years: Sixth (2018); premiers (2017); sixth (2016); premiers (2015); fifth (2014).
Q and A with Emily Prout
How has the pre-season panned out in your first year in charge of the A-grade team and anything out of the ordinary you may have done?
"We've got a colour run on (last) Saturday involving the club and the whole community, so that will be part of our pre-season. It's something a bit different. We had a first practice match on (March 7) against Huntly. I was pleased with how we went. (Taking up) the coaching has been a good experience, especially now as we are getting into the swing of things."
Looking at your recruits and returning players, it looks like you will have one of the youngest teams in the league?
"Most of our new girls range between 18 and 21, so we are going to be a very young side, but watching them on the court has been fantastic. They are a great group of girls and have gelled well together."
You narrowly missed out on playing finals in 2018. What do you need to do to reclaim a spot in the top five?
"That's definitely the aim. I have heard that some clubs have picked up some good players and will be quite tough this year, but we will give it a go. Replacing Zoe Kennedy is going to be tough. We've got Bridgewater first-up at home, so that's going to be a good test."
SUMMARY
A young, first year coach and an even younger playing list is the formula Pyramid Hill hopes can propel the club back into the top five.
The Bulldogs missed the finals by just one win last season, their fate sealed when they lost a round 17 encounter against Maiden Gully YCW, which snared fifth spot before going on to win its first final against Newbridge.
Their eventual sixth placing came just 12 months after the Bulldogs' stunning 2017 premiership triumph over Mitiamo.
Albeit only 18 months ago, the Bulldogs team which takes to the court in round one against Bridgewater will bear little resemblance to that flag-winning combo.
The off-season departures of former coach Zoe Kennedy, who will line up for BFNL club Strathfieldsaye in 2019, and Abbey Dingwall, leaves
new coach Emily Prout as the sole Bulldogs' player to take the court that day at Serpentine still in the A-grade team.
A plethora of personnel changes from last season leaves the Bulldogs as an unknown quantity heading into the new season.
But what they might lack in experience, the Bulldogs certainly make up for in youthful exuberance and enthusiasm.
It will be a tough initiation for Prout as coach, with the Bulldogs to face reigning premiers Bridgewater and powerhouse Mitiamo in the opening two rounds.
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