After a long, tough year the Ballarat Football Netball League is finally back on the horizon.
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We've sat down with all the coaches, who've offered their thoughts on one of the most anticipated local football seasons in memory.
In part one we've placed the microscope on a group we're dubbing the "city six".
Hear what each coach has to say about their club's chances in 2021.
After that, we'd love to know what you think. Fill in the anonymous survey at the bottom to pick your flag favourite.
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COACH: Joe Carmody
2019: 10th (3-1-12)
THE BRIEF
The Swans landed the signing of the summer and its impact on a developing list could be long-lasting. A chance encounter at Lake Wendouree saw three-time premiership player Josh Gibson commit to Ballarat, with the 200-gamer's influence on a young backline set to be central to the Swans' rise up the ladder.
IN THE COACH'S WORDS
On Josh Gibson
"He wants to play every game."
"We're aiming for that, but we're realistic in terms of our expectations. He hasn't played for a number of years and we don't want to run him into the ground.
"We want him to feel good about his body and not play under duress. It may just be a horses for courses type thing but at this stage we'll aim to play him every game we can."
"(The signing) has been enormous for us. He brings so much knowledge with him and he's willing to give back and share his experience with our players. He's really good around the club. He's 100 per cent committed to the Swans. I think it will have a long lasting effect."
On development
"We have a pretty young group so having a year off footy for them was pretty disappointing. They're keen to get back into playing and keep improving."
"We've worked really hard at training to try and fast-track a lot of young guys and hopefully that will pay dividends in the next two or three years."
"We want to make sure we put time into those juniors who were stepping into the senior ranks. There will probably be around four of five 18/19-year-olds that will play round one, which is exciting."
On Swans footy
"We want to make sure that we're moving the ball quickly and we want to defend well."
"We were able to defend for periods of time in 2019 and then we'd just lose concentration and get scored against pretty quickly. We want to make it hard for the opposition to score but we also want to make sure we move the ball quickly and give our forwards a chance."
On the season ahead
"Our goal isn't in wins and losses. We think that will take care of itself if we're able to play the way we want to for longer periods of time.
"We feel as though our goal this year is to be consistent week in week out and against any side. We want to be really competitive and push sides for four quarters."
COMING IN
Josh Gibson (retired, three-time Hawthorn premiership player)
Jake Dunne (Buninyong)
Mitch Bishop (returning after lay-off)
Nathan Patrikeos (Waubra)
OUT THE DOOR
Jack Sutherland (Wondonga)
Nick O'Farrell (Torquay)
Jed Hill (Sebastopol)
Keegan Mellington (doubtful)
FIXTURE
East Point
COACH: Jake Bridges
2019: 1st (11-5)
beat Sebastopol in grand final
THE BRIEF
East Point stands at the edge of a historic feat but its coach isn't getting ahead of himself. After saluting in 2018 and 2019, Jake Bridges and the 'Roos were forced to wait for another crack at the title. While many have the 'Roos as favourites for a third-straight flag - helped by a glut of gun recruits - the reigning premiers know their fate is in their own hands.
IN THE COACH'S WORDS
On hunting a three-peat
"It doesn't really (rest on the mind)."
"It's such a competitive league, and at any level playing finals is just a great opportunity. We're going to put our best foot forward and continue to strive towards perfection and continue to get better."
"I know just from the feedback that I got the other day that there are still things I've got to do better as a coach and I'll continue to work on (them)."
"We're all learning and we're all developing so that's the main thing."
On returning after a year off
"I don't think (we lost any momentum)."
"It's a privilege just to get back and to be able to play and I'm really excited to see how the year unfolds."
"It's a new year - irrespective of what happened two, three, four years ago. It's another year, with different dynamics, different groups, different recruiting."
"I think it's a fresh start for everyone. It's one of those things that no one's ever experienced before."
On gun midfield recruits
"It's going to be pretty competitive. I just think that if you can add some depth there and continue to drive and push each other forward, expectations start to rise, and standards continue to lift."
"We went out, and we had a couple of conversations with some players who we thought were going to be able to add a bit to the dynamic of the group, but then also there needs to be a cultural fit."
"There are a number of keywords that we look at, and I think when you're in the four walls, there are some things that we do that are non-negotiables."
"The number one thing is that (the culture) is player-driven. I've always believed that the follower picks the leader. It's really good, even at this level, to have leaders that have ownership and have that sense of empowerment to drive the culture that they want."
CAN EAST POINT WIN A THIRD-STRAIGHT PREMIERSHIP? HAVE YOUR SAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.
On coming out of pre-season
"The thing now is that we've got to continue to monitor (things) because we've had guys that have been working their backsides off for over 12 months without actually playing a competitive game."
"We all know that there's a big difference between training and actually getting out there and playing."
COMING IN
James Lukich (Waubra)
Aaron Hayes (Kyabram)
Jack Ganley (Ararat)
Harry Ganley (Ararat)
OUT THE DOOR
Jordan Johnston (Geelong VFL)
Daniel Tung (Merbein)
Mitch Tuddenham (Grovedale)
FIXTURE
Lake Wendouree
COACH: Dale Power
2019: 9th (5-1-10)
THE BRIEF
By its own standards, Lake Wendouree failed to take the league by storm in 2019 but fourth-year coach Dale Power is confident an emerging group of youngsters will kickstart the push up the ladder. A former VFL best-and-fairest will add needed experience, alongside a delisted Western Bulldog, as the Lakers try to bridge the gap with a finals spot.
IN THE COACH'S WORDS
On getting a gauge after a year off
"We're already getting some early signs with our practice matches but it's often not until six-to-eight weeks into the season when you get a bit of a feel for how everyone's travelling, who the benchmark is, who's struggling and who's got injuries - all those sort of things."
"Traditionally it's a very hotly contested league anyway. Some clubs can start slow and build momentum and get on a roll and others do the opposite. So it's sort of just being ready for the season and preparing as best you can."
On building a list
"We identified areas where we thought there were deficiencies for us. We haven't been blessed with key positions and ruckmen in recent times. Certainly that's an area that we've tried to address."
"We're fortunate at Lakers land that we've got great juniors coming through year after year. We've got lots of great options with our 19s and even some 17s coming through."
"We'll have lots of debutants this year I would imagine. We've got a few boys from our club in the Rebels squad as well, which is really exciting for the club to follow."
On blooding the youngsters
"(As a coach) you've got a real opportunity to impact how these boys go about it."
"It's a real opportunity to see some boys grow into men and really grow into their roles at the club. They can't do that if they don't know what they're meant to be about. So part of my role is to make sure they're educated on what their role is in the team."
"Usually they arrive with the footy IQ and the skills that they (they need to) implement the game plan so it's really about supporting them to go out and do their best."
On finding ways to win
"Probably in recent times we've been a little bit one-dimensional so we actually want to learn to win in a few different ways."
"So (it's about) understanding that there are different key stages in a match with momentum and game styles."
"Certainly, from a defensive point of view you want to restrict sides to a decent total. That's your first objective. Then you want to hit the scoreboard yourself. It's nothing new."
"(We're trying to add) different game styles to the repertoire of skills that our guys have and giving them the on-field cues to pick up and roll with on the day."
COMING IN
Fergus Greene (Western Bulldogs - linked with Box Hill Hawks in VFL)
Nick Rippon (North Melbourne VFL, 2020 signing who re-committed)
Shaun Finlayson (Bungaree)
Lachlan Pfeifer (Beaufort)
Angus Gove (Horsham Saints)
Zane Thomson (QLD)
Brayden Helyar (Horsham Saints/Geelong VFL)
OUT THE DOOR
Scott Carlin (Nirranda)
Josh McDermott (North Ballarat - 2020 signing)
Bailey Edwards
Ben Taylor
FIXTURE
North Ballarat
COACH: Brendan McCartney
2019: 7th (7-9)
THE BRIEF
There's a sense of excitement building at North Ballarat and for good reason. Brendan McCartney arrived at the club in the off-season, bringing two decades of AFL experience. The former Western Bulldogs coach and premiership-winning Geelong assistant is committed to giving the kids a go as the Roosters aim for a finals return.
IN THE COACH'S WORDS
On footy returning
"It's very important it returns. It's not just football; it's netball and junior football.
"People of all ages and occupations come together to watch their clubs and watch their sons and daughters participate.
"(Footy) is a big part of our lives and it's a major sport for the country. It's great that it's back properly."
On pre-season
"There are two schools I think - to ease players back in because they've missed effectively a year of playing or the approach we've taken as a club which is to get as much contact and change of direction and match play into them."
"We pretty much jumped into match play and contested ball drills and match simulation from day one."
"We've had our fair share of collision injuries and soft tissues injuries at training but I'm never too concerned with that. It's generally part of the learning process of how to use your body and keep your head out of the way."
On recruitment
"A couple of people have walked in the door, a couple of people have walked out because they wanted to play for another club and another host of reasons which I'm fine with."
"We believe our best recruits are already in the club. They're playing in the reserves, they're playing in the under 19s and they're playing in the under 17s. We want to show them we are going to provide opportunities for them."
"It's one thing to say that you want to develop the youngsters but you've got to provide opportunities for them. You need to coach them the right way, invest in them and give them games. (You've got to) stick by them and hang on to them when they go through a rough patch and there are elements of their game that need some work."
RECKON BRENDAN MCCARTNEY WILL END UP BEING COACH OF THE YEAR? HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR SURVEY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STORY.
On season goals
"I believe you need to have the right brand of footy that wins you enough games to get into finals. Then when you get to finals you can really flourish and thrive."
"I've always believed in preparing players for finals footy, whether we make it or not. If it's not this year and we make it next year then we'll be ready to really embrace it."
COMING IN
Josh McDermott (Lake Wendouree)
Johnathan O'Brien (Springbank - 2020 signing who recommitted)
OUT THE DOOR
Ben Simpson (South Barwon)
Mitch Gilbert (Skipton)
Riley O'Keefe (Sebastopol)
Dylan Graham (Rupanyup)
FIXTURE
Redan
COACH: Jarrett Giampaolo
2019: 6th (10-6)
lost elimination semi-final to Sebastopol
THE BRIEF
Jarrett Giampaolo is unapologetic about his goals for the season. He wants to win a flag. Redan is keen to shake its "just about" tag and with a couple of big names through the door and some youngsters waiting in the wings the Lions are primed for a premiership tilt.
IN THE COACH'S WORDS
On footy returning
"Not just the boys, but the whole club is excited to have football back up and running."
"Last year it was pretty disappointing to not have any sport go ahead, especially when we had a good pre-season. A lot of people put a lot of work into that season only to have it cancelled, so a lot of people are looking forward to it going ahead again."
On pre-season
"We tried to do a lot of footy-specific stuff straight away. We already had a lot of guys running over the lockdown period, so we were straight into footy stuff. "
"The group is probably ready to go to be honest. It feels like we've done two or three pre-seasons without actually being able to get back into it."
"I think if you were to tell the players that this weekend or next weekend was round one they'd be happy with that. They're about ready to get stuck back in to competition."
On premiership goal
"We've been thereabouts for some time. It's been 10 years since the club last won a senior premiership and a lot of players that have been there a long time are a bit sick of aspiring just to make finals."
"We've got a lot of players, even young guys, who have aspirations to win a premiership. We think we'll be really competitive this year and the group is motivated to do really well."
"We just made it last year and we lost a final by only a few points so I think that stung a few guys. Having the same list sign on again is really important to that as well. They weren't happy with the way we finished last year so they want to go that next step which is to at least make it a grand final and give yourself a chance to win one."
On building a list
"A lot of guys weren't willing to commit. There was a lot of to and fro with a lot of guys because they weren't sure what they were doing."
"I found with having a season off a lot of players were wanting to stay with the club they had signed with the year before. I can understand that. You don't want to leave a team hanging."
"A lot of players were just keen to get back training with the group they were already with. That probably helps with retention of your own players but it's probably made recruiting a bit more difficult."
"We probably only chased a few players really hard but we're happy with who we've brought in and we think they'll be able to contribute straight away."
COMING IN
Chris Giampaolo (Altona)
Colby McDonald (Tatura)
Tom Lamb (Koondrook-Barham)
OUT THE DOOR
Sam Kyatt (Grovedale)
Liam Phillips (Grovedale)
Kayne Councillor (Kaniva-Leeor United)
FIXTURE
Sebastopol
COACH: Michael Searl
2019: 2nd (11-5)
lost grand final to East Point
THE BRIEF
Sebastopol was the fairy-tale story of 2020, transforming from cellar dwellers to premiership contenders, snapping an 18-year finals drought in the process. While the Burra fell at the last step, new coach Michael Searl is aware of the benchmark his side has now set. As the former Springbank leader said: "there's only one place we can go."
IN THE COACH'S WORDS
On bettering the 2019 grand final
"If you play off in a grand final you know, you want to improve on the previous year. I said to the group there's only one place we can go."
"I think as a group we've reflected on it. I've allowed the group to talk about it and move on from it together."
"For a club that has been starved success for many years there is a real ambitious goal that we've set for ourselves to be really strong contenders."
"We can't just accept making the final or making the prelim as a pass mark."
WILL SEBASTOPOL WIN THE FLAG? LET US KNOW IN THE SURVEY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.
On replacing departing stars
"There is no footy season where the same team goes ahead. You may have some new faces and some personnel may leave and things like that. I think there's probably six or seven from the grand final team who have moved on."
"That's a fair chunk of your team. There's certainly been some personnel changes, but we still feel we've added strength to our group over the pre-season."
"For Sebastopol, for a number of years trying to recruit whoever they could get was a goal."
"We've been quite fortunate now that we're retained a good core of the group to stay on. Realistically, we only had to narrow our focus a little bit on what sort of player we were after."
On Burra footy
"Like many teams we want to be a very strong contested team. If the inside ball is there we want to win it."
"We want to be a really strong defensive side and it make it incredibly hard to score against us."
"That's the focus. We know that's going to be a real challenge but we've got our sights on being a really strong defensive team and a team that can flip that defence into attack. We've got some players who can mark remarkably well and then really launch the ball into our forward 50."
On a tough draw
"Our first five, six games are played away. Our home ground is out of action so we know our first goal is for us to be a really strong, competitive side that can face any team on the road."
"We want to set ourselves up to be in a really strong position after those away games and hopefully on the back of some home games we can put ourselves in a good position."
COMING IN
Jed Hill (Ballarat)
James Richards (East Warrnambool)
Riley O'Keefe (North Ballarat)
OUT THE DOOR
Geoff Lovett (Buninyong)
Tom Petersen (interstate work)
Jack Mason (Creswick)
Toby Thoolen (Swan Hill)
FIXTURE
Have your say
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