There was a genuine sense of optimism at St Albans even before the round 1 game of the new season, and while the lid is not off yet, a 138-point win certainly helps.
The Supersaints were simply superb in their 22.20(152) to 2.2(14) win against Lara and things are falling into place for new coach Rick Munn.
“We’ve got a whole new footy department, coaching staff, 20 new recruits, so it does feel like a different vibe around the group,” he said.
“They’ve always been pretty strong off the field, it’s a good football club. Great volunteers, (we are) financial and a good junior program, but we just haven’t had a great football team for a little while.
“The footy club is really invested in a great medical team, strength and conditioning team and giving me all the resources I need to to really turn it into a proper footy program.”
Fletcher Keck has been a ball magnet for St Albans for several seasons and was best afield against the Cats, but Munn said he challenged the young dynamo during the preseason.
“I really challenged Kecky when we had his exit interview (last year),” Munn said.
“I wanted him to be more dangerous with the ball. He won a lot of, nearly 90 percent, of his possessions last year were in the back half. That’s going to happen when the ball is in there a lot, but we really challenged him to get fitter, get stronger and play as an inside mid where he can be a bit more damaging and explosive from contests.
“He’s got all the attributes. I won’t be surprised if he’s at the very least, having a full VFL preseason or that clubs will look at him. He’s got all the right traits.”
Munn said what pleased him most about the performance was how different players had embraced, rather than shunned, new roles.
“A lot of those boys have stuck fat for the last three, four, five years – I think they won five games in four years or something like that,” he said.
“Ninety percent of them signed on before I got there. They’re really invested in the future so it’s good to see some of those boys that have played there for a long time without much success – it just takes a little bit early and just gets that little bit of a sugar hit.
“They go ‘OK, well, this is what it feels like to be playing good footy and win games and if we keep playing our role and we keep investing then we can enjoy it a little bit more often’.”
The Supersaints’ early fixture is favourable with several more chances to claim victories in the next month or so.
“We want to get out of the Division 3 zone. You break it down, the GFL has three (unofficial) tiers – the Div 1 teams, Div 2 teams and Div 3 teams and it’s been pretty consistent for a little while.
“But we’re really challenging the group to try and break out of that Div 3 space into the Div 2 space to be more competitive with those teams.”
COLAC had a day out against North Shore, winning by 264 points. Ben McCarthy was best while Jonathan Simpkin and Luke Hillman each booted six goals with Darcy Lang slotting through five. Declan Clarke was the Seagulls’ best and booted the team’s only goal.
SOUTH BARWON defeated Grovedale by 76 points with Lachlan Noble booting five goals and captain Matt Caldow four.
NEWTOWN & CHILWELL gave new coach Steve Johnson his first win with an 11-point triumph over Bell Park with Logan Morey starring on a wing and Cameron Wilkinson great in the ruck. Mitchell Mahady was good for the Dragons in defence.
PATRICK Dowling’s return to St Mary’s after a brief stint in the BFL was successful with four goals in an 82-point win against Geelong West.
