![Leader Andrew Milroy will miss this season owing to travel. He's a classy player, but Bungaree looks to have covered his absence. Picture by Adam Trafford. Leader Andrew Milroy will miss this season owing to travel. He's a classy player, but Bungaree looks to have covered his absence. Picture by Adam Trafford.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/mTvP5NhWJFQFv7uTytgxtB/ed282f12-1b78-48a7-9a34-dff0eec2251b.jpg/r0_0_1590_2388_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Coach Ryan Waight has no doubt that Bungaree is a stronger team on paper than last year's break-out campaign in the Central Highlands Football League.
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Now the challenge is to convert that into real performances, with no one more aware than Waight how tough that will be as they strive to again have a top four finish.
"The competition's going to be stronger, so we in turn have to be stronger. We're going to need to dig in."
For Waight and the Demons, an improved attack needs to anchor this and the recruiting of CHFL top gun James Lukich is going to go a long way to making this area of their game more potent.
Waight said statistically Bungaree was the number one defensive team in the competition last year, but did not score as heavily as he would like to see - ranking sixth in points scored.
He also believes greater continuity with player availability will help the Demons take the next step.
He said a number of players had interrupted 2023 seasons owing to extended travel - marquee recruit Ben Simpson being among them - and there was no doubt this had some impact in a team which had an influx of new players.
Skipper Andrew Milroy is the only loss and this has more than countered by the arrival of a select group of recruits, also including East Point premiership player Dallas Martin.
With a wealth of talent, it is going to be all about Bungaree getting the right balance to ensure it continues the momentum.
BIGGEST OFF-SEASON MOVES
- Signing James Lukich from Waubra - without doubt the biggest recruiting coup of the competition.
- The upgrade of the Bungaree Recreation Reserve ground, which nows looks a picture.
WHERE TO
It is onwards and upwards.
They made huge inroads last season to return to playing finals - firstly learning what winning is all about with a lengthy streak and then progressing to a preliminary final.
Bungaree will have learnt so much. Only a top four finish with satisfy.
AT A GLANCE
- Coach: Ryan Waight (non-playing) fifth year
- 2023: 4th - 13 wins, 3 losses (lost qualifying final, won semi-final, lost preliminary final)
- Highest score: 22.12 (144) v Creswick
- Highest score against: Gordon 17.9 (111)
- Lowest score against: Waubra 1.3 (9)
- Leading goalkicker: John Butler 39
ARRIVALS
- Corey Edwards (North Footscray)
- James Lukich (East Point)
- Dallas Martin (East Point)
- Mitch Comben (Kyneton)
- Joel Richardson (North Footscray)
DEPARTURES
- Andrew Milroy (overseas)
FIXTURE
R1 Hepburn (h) - April 13
R2 Ballan (a)
R3 Learmonth (h)
R4 Rokewood-Corindhap (a)
R5 Dunnstown (h)
R6 Gordon (a)
R7 Springbank (h)
R8 Carngham-Linton (a)
R9 Creswick (h)
R10 bye
R11 Daylesford (a)
R12 Buninyong (h)
R13 Waubra (a)
R14 Skipton (h)
R15 Clunes (a)
R16 Newlyn (h)
R17 Beaufort (a)