AFL Outer East: Belgrave looks to bolster its depth by signing a number of handy recruits
Belgrave has been busy in the off-season recruiting stakes, signing a number of new Magpies to bolster its depth.
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For much of the season, Belgrave was locked in scrap with Warburton-Millgrove to avoid the wooden spoon and relegation from AFL Outer East Division 1.
Though the Magpies and Burras both finished with 2-14 records, both were far better than that record suggests.
Both were much better than 2-14 sides.
Belgrave often found itself right in the hunt in matches only to drop the result through inexperience or a lack of depth or, as first-year coach Nathan Johns says, “getting a little ahead of ourselves”.
Johns said he’d been encouraged by his side’s season, in patches, but it was just the first step in a journey.
“I knew it was always going to be challenging to implement what I wanted, to do it right away,” he said.
“Year one is always the hardest. We laid the foundations this year. You’re always better in year two and better in year three after that.
“Our goal from the moment we started was we would show improvement on 2018 and we wanted opposition coaches to say we were hard to play against, win lose or draw.
“I think we achieved that.”
Depth, or lack of it, was certainly an issue
“Your bottom six win you matches,” he said. “When we dropped off or got a little bit tired, you can’t turn the momentum around.”
To that end, Belgrave has been one of the busiest clubs in the post-season recruiting stakes, bolstering its squad ahead of what it hopes will be a steady climb up the rankings.
Matt Young, a reserves premiership player and EFL best and fairest, has crossed from South Belgrave while Johns is particularly excited to be reunited with Josiah Laakulu, an under-19 premiership player and developing ruck talent from SFNL’s St Kilda City, and New Zealand international Mykelti Lefau, an athletic 21-year-old who has spent time with the Casey Demons.
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Johns said the power and strength of Laakulu and Lefau will turn heads this year.
Ryan Taylor (Westbourne VAFA and stints in the country at Trentham and Nagambie), Blair Smith (Garfield and Casey Demons), Jackson Thomas (Beaconsfield) and Jaie Roberts (Beaconsfield and Doveton Eagles) have signed on while Jordan Toole returns after a year off. Elliot Avis, Daniel Noy and Josh Richmond have all recommitted for the season.
“We needed to strengthen up,” Johns said. “We’ve been able to sign 14 or so and eight of them will be in our best 18.”
While the club’s recruiting has been solid, Johns said climbing the ladder wasn’t a given.
Plenty of hard work is needed and getting plans in place early helps.
“I always say premierships are won in November,” he said. “I want to take Belgrave to Premier (Division) and be a formidable outfit.”
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