EDFL 2018: Westmeadows enjoys busy off-season of recruiting

WESTMEADOWS coach Grant Smith has addressed claims his club deliberately targeted players from relegated Premier Division outfit West Coburg.

Marwan Abdul-Wahed has crossed to Westmeadows. Picture: Kylie Else

WESTMEADOWS coach Grant Smith has poured cold water on claims his club deliberately targeted players from relegated Premier Division outfit West Coburg.

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Burgers premiership players Omar Saad, Omar Abdallah and Marwan Abdul-Wahed have signed on and will bolster the Essendon District Football League Division 1 club’s midfield, while Ahmed Abdul-Wahed — also a former West Coburg player — has arrived from Northern Saints and is set to fill a role in defence.

The Tigers have appointed Mo Kaakour, who boasts an extensive recruiting network, as director of coaching.

Westmeadows EDFL coach Grant Smith. Picture: Jamie Morey

“I know there’s a lot of chatter about us, and particularly Mo, going after them, but it wasn’t really the case” Smith said.

“They had just been talking about maybe looking for a change, given what had happened with (West Coburg) going down.

“They were still very passionate about West Coburg being their home club, but I think they were just looking for something a bit different for a little while.

“Obviously you don’t say no to four Premier Division midfielders that present themselves, so we did speak to them obviously, but it wasn’t a dedicated attack on West Coburg or anything like that. It was just circumstances played out that way.”

Midfielder/half-forward Dylan Wright has also crossed from Golden Rivers league club Quambatook, while forward Mitch Church returns to the Tigers after a stint at Hillside.

Smith said the club had targeted players under 30 who had experience with successful Premier Division clubs.

“There was an expectation on them, if they were coming to the club, that they would take on a role of leadership kind of role and grab a group of these young kids and really educate them on what it’s like to play Premier Division football,” he said.

“One of the challenges we face as a coaching group is getting kids who have never played at Premier Division level to understand what it actually takes to play at that level.

“We haven’t had a lot of players who have experienced it.”

Westmeadows has lost Dean Clare (Pascoe Vale), Brad Sutcliffe, Justin Taylor (Port Melbourne Colts) and Nick Avery (retired).

Smith said the Tigers were “two or three players away from closing the books”.

Westmeadows finished second-last this season with three victories.

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