By Marcus Uhe
Club: Officer
2022: 1-15 (9th). Relegated from Outer East Football Netball League Premier Division
Coach: Danny Charles
Captains: Ben O’Loughlin, Brent Moloney.
Coaching panel: Travis Murphy, Craig McGrath, Scott McGeagh, Trent Canute.
Ins: Troy Tharle (Injury), Mark Seedman (Rowville), Daniel Edwards, Antonio Qauch (Berwick).
Outs: Joshua Pettenuzzo (Hampton Park), Brody Hopkins (Narre Warren), Daniel Peart (Pakenham), Sam Ferrari (Billabong).
10 to watch: Dan Ellett, Anthony Bernardo, Ben O’Loughlin, Brent Moloney, Mitch Mibus, Antonio Quach, Brodie Snooks, Angus Clavarino, Kyle Gains, Sam Hoghton.
Home ground: Officer Recreation Reserve.
Having been relegated from the Outer East Premier Division on the back of a sorry 2022 season, Officer enter Division One in 2023 with a point to prove.
Already they’re viewed as one of the teams to watch, having been extremely active in the recruiting space, and embarking on a new era under storied local football figure, Danny Charles.
A premiership winning coach at Doveton in 2019, Charles knows what success looks like from the coaches box, and will be flanked by names and faces he trusts from his time at previous clubs and organisations.
A year out of the game was enough to rekindle the coaching flame, as the club looks to capture its first senior premiership since 2002.
Troy Tharle returns to the field after taking some time away from playing to deal with injury issues, and along with co-captains Ben O’Loughlin and Brent Moloney, his experience will be critical in a squad brimming with young talent.
Of particular excitement for Charles is the form of half-forward Antonio Quach, a member of their young brigade who caught the eye of the new coach as a junior footballer.
And Brodie Snooks, a 17-year-old who narrowly missed our on selection at Gippsland Power as a bottom-ager, has looked accomplished in the cut and thrust of senior football in their preseason hitouts against Keysborough, Mount Evelyn and Kooweerup.
Charles is expecting a fast and entertaining game-style in 2023 that will capture the eyes of the football public, and in Emerald, Berwick Springs and Seville in their first three matches, they’ll have a very strong indication of where they sit, early in the piece.
It’s not the ideal start to the year for a side that’s incorporating so many new pieces and still seeking that continuity with one-another, and could see them chasing their tails for the remainder of the season.
But with just seven teams in the Division, each match-up will carry extra significance.
Charles said being tagged as one of the teams to beat hasn’t come as a surprise, but as preseason finally comes to a close, they’re main focus remains on controlling their own destiny.
“It’s probably to be expected, coming down from Premier, but it’s a totally different team to what we had last year,” Charles said.
“Our biggest challenge is probably going to be getting used to one-another on the field.”
Officer is another side that will endure a particularly disjointed fixture, with three byes on its calendar.
Fixture:
Round 1: Saturday 15 April v Emerald (Away)
Round 2: Saturday 22 April v Berwick Springs (Home)
Round 3: Saturday 29 April v Seville (Away)
Round 4: Saturday 6 May v Bye
Round 5: Saturday 13 May v Hallam (Home)
Round 6: Saturday 27 May v Belgrave (Home)
Round 7: Saturday 3 June v Healesville (Away)
Round 8: Saturday 17 June v Emerald (Home)
Round 9: Saturday 24 June v Bye
Round 10: Saturday 1 July v Seville (Home)
Round 11: Saturday 8 July v Berwick Springs (Away)
Round 12: Saturday 15 July v Hallam (Away)
Round 13: Saturday 22 July v Emerald (Home)
Round 14: Saturday 29 July v Healesville (Home)
Round 15: Saturday 5 August v Belgrave (Away)
Round 16: Saturday 12 August v Bye
Round 17: Saturday 19 August v Seville (Away)
Round 18: Saturday 26 August v Berwick Springs (Home)
