CHFL previews 2018 | Grasshoppers hoping to raise the bar

The club joined the competition for the 2011 season and has won just 20 games since then.

The best of the Grasshoppers’ campaigns were in 2016 and 2017, where four victories were achieved on both occasions.

Damon Delaney is now at the helm – taking over from Jarrod Thompson at the end of last year – and it’s no surprise he is setting out to raise the bar.

Delaney only joined the club last season, but has quickly become invested in its future.

The playing leader, who will again form a key part of the Grasshoppers’ onball brigade, said it’s hard to know if his team is in finals contention given the large amount of player movement across the competition.

But he is “well and truly” looking to secure more than four wins in 2018.

“I’m just obviously looking on improvement from last year,” he said.

“I think we’ve got 10 or 11 new faces at the club and I think six or seven of those will well and truly top us up in the senior side. A few of those guys sort of offset a couple of key losses that we have got from last year.

“On top of that, you’ve got more experience in those younger guys that have been around the club for a couple of years now.”

Among the big departures is young gun Caius Barrenger, who is in the middle of a contract dispute in his bid to join Buninyong, last year’s coach Thompson and key onballer Aaron Gercovich.

Jordan Grant shapes as a handy inclusion from Bell Park and should slot straight into the Grasshoppers’ midfield, Mitch and Troy McLaughlin and Shane Dillon will also form part of the onball rotation, while Ben Allison arrives as a key forward option. There is also a good opinion of utility Brayden Ferguson, who has signed from Ararat, and Brendan Berlund, who should fit in somewhere in defence.

Q: What do you see as your key on-field strength?

Versatility.

Q: What is your key message as coach in 2018?

Continue to build on 2017 with improvement both on and off field.

Q: How have the pre-season preparations gone?

We started very early (November 3) and have seen a committed core group of players attend right through to now. Our pre-season included a camp to Halls Gap - which also involved the netball group - and we saw massive benefits in bringing the club together.

Q: Which player are you most excited about?

We’ve strategically brought in experienced players to assist the development of our core group of young talent. At this stage, I can see our ruckman Ben Reese continuing his great form from last year and the likes of Luke Philp, Tom Fagg, Zach Priddle and Benny Harris taking the next step in their senior careers.

Q: Which is the team to beat this season?

Clearly Hepburn and Beaufort have added some impressive names to an already strong list, but not sure if the off-field changes will potentially unsettle Hepburn a touch. Beaufort for me.

Damon Delaney (new)

13th position

Four wins, 12 losses

Leading goal-kicker: Jarrod Thompson, 26 goals

Best and fairest: Sam Chapman

Geoff Taylor Medal top vote-getters: Ben Reese 14, Sam Chapman 12, Caius Barrenger 4, Jarrod Thompson 2, Ben Harris 1, Luke Philp 1, Aaron Gercovich 1

Jordan Grant (Bell Park), Mitch McLaughlin (Camperdown), Troy McLaughlin (Camperdown), Tyler Mookhoek (Sebastopol), Patrick Dillon (Prahran Assumption), Shane Dillon (Prahran Assumption), Ben Allison (Corio), Brayden Ferguson (Ararat Rats), Brendan Berlund (Newstead)

Jarrod Thompson (not playing), Aaron Gercovich (Redan), Caius Barrenger (Buninyong/not playing), Alistair Johnson (Glenrowan Kelly Tigers), Chevy Elliott (Gordon)

R1: Smythesdale (h)

R2: Learmonth (a)

R3: Newlyn (h)

R4: Daylesford (h)

R5: Bungaree (h)

R6: Gordon (a)

R7: Buninyong (h)

R8: Ballan (a)

R9: Dunnstown (h)

R10: Beaufort (a)

R11: Hepburn (h)

R12: Waubra (a)

R13: Springbank (h)

R14: Skipton (h)

R15: Creswick (a)

R16: Carngham-Linton (h)

R17: Clunes (a)

The Grasshoppers are expected to be around the same mark as the side that won four games in 2017.