New coach Grant Fagan will push the young players through to bring success to Clarence
It’s been an off-season of massive changes at Clarence with around “10 senior players” moving on from the club. But new coach Grant Fagan is excited by the opportunities for the younger brigade.
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It has been a long pre season for Clarence as they look to right the wrongs of the heartbreaking end to the 2024 season.
The Roos lost the TSL preliminary final to Lauderdale by the barest of margins after a strong season which saw them finish second after the home-and-away season.
New head coach Grant Fagan said it has been a strong pre season.
“Pre season started in early November and we have had pretty solid numbers all the way through,” Fagan said.
“There has been a lot of players movement around the league and Clarence has lost about 10 of the more senior players of the club.
“So we are going to have a really young side this year, a lot of those players have disappeared to Glenorchy and Lauderdale footy club.”
The brother of Brisbane’s AFL premiership coach is excited to be coaching such a young group.
“It has been really good, they have all responded really well,” Fagan said.
“They’re a group that is used to having success in their junior footy days and even up until last year in their under-18s and winning the premiership again.
“They are used to success but they have jumped into the next level training really well and led the way really all the younger guys.
“It is the time of the year where when you talk to anyone about footy, it is the treading water time of the year with practice games and everything.
“Everyone is looking forward to just jumping through the next two to three weeks before we have our first hit out.”
Clarence, alongside five other Hobart based clubs have merged into the Southern Football League Premier League competition for 2025.
Fagan said the club took it on board and just got on with business as usual.
“From a southern point of view there is still five clubs that were in the state league out of the seven,” Fagan said.
“Really not playing Launceston and North Launceston is pretty good for travel side of things.
“The rest is same as you guy type stuff, there is a bit of enthusiasm type stuff, with the Southern Premier League to be supported by Southerns, I think that is going to be a real plus for footy.”
Clarence will head to Lauderdale for round 1 seeking revenge for the one point loss in last year’s preliminary final.
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Originally published as New coach Grant Fagan will push the young players through to bring success to Clarence
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