ROCFC Pre-season 2010
There has been much to like about our preseason thus far.
Numbers at training have been good, the attitude amongst those attending has been positive and players are clearly enjoying their football. As always, it would be good if some players were more regular in their attendance and our ability to really teach our game plan is compromised somewhat by personnel eg it's hard to practise clearance/stoppage work without your lead ruckmen. As we continue to build a competitive football team we must develop a more consistent pattern of coming to training twice a week, working hard when we get there on improving and playing well as a team on Saturdays. Everyone needs to be on the same page with this!
We have lost some players from our A Grade last year. Jake Radloff has moved to Queensland with his work, Tom Hurley is going overseas for the season, Chris Pahl is working in Western Australia. Rick Giles (Goodwood Saints), Michael Aloisi (Clare), Alex Wills (Lobethal) have left for other clubs. In addition, Tom Birch, Matthew Bazzica and Scott Gilbert are in various stages of coming back from serious injuries and surgeries. Player movement is frustrating and sometimes unsettling to team balance, however, it's a significant part of amateur football which we need to come to terms with.
We have been very busy recruiting (and trying hard to recruit even more) and have secured Tom Wigley (former SANFL league player with Woodville/West Torrens), Matt Footner (former SANFL league player with South Adelaide and a teacher at the School), Ryan Holm (Norwood Reserves), Craig Holm (Norwood Reserves), Will O'Malley (Norwood Reserves), Rhys Digance (Salisbury) whilst Julien Ryan and David Eckert have returned to the club. In addition to these experienced players we welcome school leavers from 2009; James Jordan, Charlie O'Malley, Damien Moyle, Daniel Gilbert, Ben White and Tom Williams and Rhett Sugars (2008). We hope to add to this group in coming weeks. There are also a number of other new players and returning players who will add to our depth in B and C grades.
We do not have the financial resources many other clubs have. Neither do we want to dangle money in front of players like they do. No-one plays at ROCFC for the money! Our asset then is our people, our spirit, our culture. Accordingly, our best recruiters are our players and our supporters and I continue to encourage everyone to 'sell' our club to those you meet, and to prospective players (especially if they're big, strong and can play a key position!)
Obviously, we also expect improvement from those players who played in previous years and especially the young players we have 'blooded' the last two years in Division 1. It would be a mistake to believe that Division 2 will be easy in any sense and we have a long way to go to be a consistent team which wins the number of games we want to win.
Pop in for a meal and a drink on Thursday night, to watch training and catch up afterwards with the players and when we play at home drop into the Campbelltown Sports Club at the oval. For away games, call back at the Alma. I look forward to seeing you during the year.
Tim Hart
ROCFC Coach
