By Marcus Uhe
Club: Pakenham
2022: 8-8 (6th). Did not qualify for finals in Outer East Football Netball League Premier Division.
Head coach: Ash Green.
Captain: Jordan Stewart.
Coaching Panel: Darren Hillard, Michael Holland, Dean Tyrell.
Ins: Blake Cuttriss (Stratford), Daniel Peart (Officer), Brady Graham (Kilcunda Bass).
Outs: Brenton Wells (Keysborough), Kane Tyrrell (Crib Point), Eli Tyrrell (Crib Point), Liam Tyrrell (Crib Point).
10 to Watch: Jordan Stewart, Lochlan Menzel, Bailey Stiles, Tom Gamble, Taj Delarue, Jaiden Camenzuli, Cody Grass, Joshua Haggar, Joel Sarlo, Jake Thompson.
Home ground: Toomuc Reserve.
If you’re coming up against Pakenham this year, be prepared to run.
Reflections on their shortcomings last year led the Lions to investing in their fitness department ahead of the 2023 campaign, tapping into the knowledge of strength and conditioning coach Wayne Debruin.
Senior coach Ash Green can already see the benefits, and will look to utilise the reserves in their legs, along with the wide expanses of Toomuc Reserve, to his side’s advantage.
“It’s probably been the hardest preseason that the guys have done with Wayne (Debruin),” Green said.
“That was probably the feedback from the guys from last year, so it’s probably the fittest I’ve had these guys since I’ve been here.
“It’s been a challenging preseason with the running element but we don’t apologise for that.”
2022 was a rollercoaster for the Lions, winning four on the trot early in the season before immediately dropping their next four, and struggling for consistency in the second half of the year as they battled injuries.
Despite finishing on the same number of points as Monbulk, they missed finals action, having succumbed to the teams in the immediate surrounds on the ladder too many times.
In the combined four contests against Monbulk, who finished fifth, and Olinda Ferny Creek, in fourth, they won once and lost the other three.
Similarly, they struggled to impact the sides above them on the table, with only wins against Woori Yallock and Olinda, but won all six against Upwey Tecoma, Mt Evelyn and Officer, who made-up the bottom rungs of the table.
In opening the year with Narre Warren and Woori Yallock, they’ll have an immediate sense of where they sit in relation to the rest of Premier Division.
“We’ve had a healthy rivalry with Narre over the years with the SEFNL,” Green said.
“They’re going to be the yardstick again so it’ll be good to see where we’re at.
“It’s about consistency; we had a lot of injuries last year and that’s not an excuse, it’s about making sure we have our best 25 available every week.
“Some of these kids have now got that extra year under their belt, so we expect a little bit more from these guys, and we’ve played a few guys in different positions now too in the last couple of weeks so it’ll be good to see how they go.
“We’ll have some different changes for round one against Narre that they won’t be prepared for.”
Assisting Green in his aspirations to add some new silverware to the Toomuc Reserve trophy cabinet are club icons and premiership players Darren Hillard and Michael “Jock” Holland, who have returned to the Lions this season as assistant coaches.
Green feels their experience and knowledge of not only football, but the club, will serve as an inspiration for those looking to elevate their names into the same air.
“The exciting thing from our perspective is, they’re both champions of the Pakenham Footy Club in their own right,” Green said.
“What they bring is different aspects.
“I’ve been here five or six years now and they (the players) probably get sick of hearing my voice.
“They’ve come in with fresh ideas and more granular, in the sense of concentrating on specific areas for the midfielders and forwards.
“I definitely feel that’s going to fast track a few of these younger guys, with an extra set of eyes and ears on them.”
Fixture:
Round 1: Saturday 15 April v Narre Warren (Home)
Round 2: Saturday 29 April v Woori Yallock (Home)
Round 3: Saturday 6 May v Bye
Round 4: Saturday 13 May v Mt Evelyn (Away)
Round 5: Saturday 20 May v Upwey Tecoma (Home)
Round 6: Saturday 27 May v Wandin (Home)
Round 7: Saturday 3 June v Monbulk (Away)
Round 8: Saturday 17 June v Gembrook Cockatoo (Home)
Round 9: Saturday 24 June v Olinda (Home)
Round 10: Saturday 1 July v Narre Warren (Home)
Round 11: Saturday 8 July v Woori Yallock (Away)
Round 12: Saturday 15 July v Bye
Round 13: Saturday 22 July v Mt Evelyn (Home)
Round 14: Saturday 29 July v Upwey Tecoma (Away)
Round 15: Saturday 5 August v Wandin (Home)
Round 16: Saturday 12 August v Gembrook Cockatoo (Away)
Round 17: Saturday 19 August v Monbulk (Home)
Round 18: Saturday 26 Olinda (Away)
