BFNL 2024 football season preview: Eaglehawk

Young star Jack O'Shannessy celebrates a goal in the 2023 BFNL semi-final. Picture by Darren Howe

Eaglehawk enters the 2024 season with a youthful outlook after several key player departures, including Michelsen Medal winner Noah Wheeler.

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However, they have boosted their big man stocks with the signing of a former premiership star and MCDFNL league medal winner.

Eaglehawk coach Travis Matheson. Picture by Darren Howe

Q&A WITH EAGLEHAWK COACH TRAVIS MATHESON:

BEEN A BIT QUIET THIS OFF-SEASON - BUT HAVE A COUPLE OF KEY INCLUSIONS - WHAT WILL FROST AND NEAVES BRING TO THE TABLE?

"A couple of bigger boys coming in was an area we looked too sure up early in the piece, so Jonty Neaves who's a former premiership player, is a great inclusion.

"Also, Brayden Frost, coming from Harcourt, will fill a ruck spot and be an auxiliary weapon up forward.

"They've both had great pre-seasons and straighten us up a bit while taking pressure off some other blokes.

"Pala Kuma's time with the Pioneers came to an end but he's on Richmond's VFL list and has joined us as his community club.

"Coming off a full VFL pre-season, hopefully, he's continued his growth.

"He'll sit off half-back and is an explosive sort of player."

WILL FROST AND NEAVES SPLIT TIME TOGETHER IN THE RUCK?

"At this point, I think Brayden will do most of it, but Bailey Ilsley has come a long way in the past six months, so he'll be the second ruck, which allows Jonty to provide us with a key option down forward."

WHO HAS DEPARTED?

"Noah Wheeler and Lewin Davis went to Banyule.

"Inglewood picked up Liam Marciano, which gives a couple of young players like Jack O'Shannessy a great opportunity to play small forward."

Eaglehawk's Joel Mullen. Picture by Darren Howe

WHO STEPS UP TO FILL THE HOLE LEFT BY NOAH WHEELER?

"Billy Evans is still an A-grader, but it will be great for a player like Joel Mullen to get some more time through the middle because he's really earned his stripes to have that opportunity.

"Ben Thompson will continue to grow as a player, and Kallen Geary, Thomas Bennett and a few others will spend time inside."

STRUGGLED TO KICK BIG SCORES AGAINST THE BEST SIDES IN 2023, WHERE WILL YOUR GOALS COME FROM THIS SEASON?

"I think we'll get a pretty even spread.

"We played Shepparton United in a practice match and had seven goalkickers, with three boys kicking three each.

"I believe we'll have more avenues to goal this season compared to last and it will help having an extra couple of talls down there."

IS THERE ANY CHNAGES GAMEPLAN WISE FOR HOW YOU ENTER YOUR FORWARD 50?

"Hopefully, we'll have a bit more consistency forward of centre.

"Last year, we found ourselves in positions where we went looking for goals, for example, Clayton Holmes being swung forward in finals.

"In this campaign, we want to be more predictable in that part of the ground."

WILL YOUR BACK SIX BE A STRENGTH AGAIN?

"Charlie Langford, who starred for us last year, is still really young, which is exciting.

"Oscar Madden came back late in 2023 from a knee reconstruction.

"Then we've got Holmes and the Thompson boys back there, so that part of the ground should remain pretty strong."

HOW HAVE NUMBERS BEEN ON THE TRACK?

"Like any other pre-season.

"Leading into Christmas, guys had a lot of things on, and then you run into cricket finals.

"We'd always love a few more, but we've been pretty consistent, and at this time of year, every club has good numbers going back to Tuesday-Thursday training."

AS YOU SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG YEAR FOR SOME YOUNGER PLAYERS - WHICH OF THEM HAVE IMPRESSED YOU THIS PRE-SEASON?

"Blake McGregor has come back in great nick, having played a good amount of footy last year.

"Bailey Ilsley is coming along nicely and will play his best footy in the coming years.

"We hope Jack Thompson, who played some good footy in the back half of 2023, continues to grow.

"Both the O'Shannessy boys played well in our practice matches and are looking solid up forward."