EDFL 2019: Maribyrnong Park dismisses dire forecast for Premier Division season
Maribyrnong Park has lost several key players this off-season, leading to predictions the club could lose its spot in the top flight of the EDFL. But the Lions say that is ‘nonsense’.
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Maribyrnong Park president Doug Stevens has laughed off suggestions his club is a contender for relegation from the EDFL’s top flight after waving goodbye to several key players over the off-season.
The Lions have lost 2018 Reynolds Medal winner Will Martinello, former coach Robert Castello, Daylan Kempster, Chris Prowse, Nick Prowse, Lee Johnston, Nick Linton and Josh Pickess in an eventful few months.
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Maribyrnong Park finished sixth last season after advancing to the preliminary final the previous year, but it did boast a 10-2 record after 12 rounds before losing five of their last six games to tumble out of the top four.
Stevens described talk the Lions could suffer the drop from Premier Division as “nonsense”.
“How could you agree with that when 15 or 16 players who are still in the club have all played Premier league in the last three years?” Stevens said.
“I don’t know why people would be talking about relegation. I’ve heard those sorts of comments and I’m extremely confident when you have two-thirds of your senior team still together.
“To put them in a category with a side coming up from B grade (Airport West) or a couple of the sides from last year — Avondale Heights and (Essendon) Doutta Stars — then I think some people might have wishful thinking that Maribyrnong Park will be looking at relegation.”
Long-term injuries to Scott Clarke and Caleb Vearing did not help Maribyrnong Park’s cause last season.
The likes of Zac Keogh, James Breust, Robert Ball, Sam O’Brien and George Abboud will also be key players in Dean Laidley’s first year at the helm.
On the plus side, North Melbourne VFL-listed players Brandon Ryan (forward) and Koe Ngawati (midfielder/forward) have arrived.
Ryan is yet to make his VFL debut but has kicked 28 goals from 24 games for Geelong West over the past two seasons, while Ngawati made nine appearances for Avondale Heights and one for the Kangaroos in 2018.
Stevens said the Lions were aware before the end of last season that some players would be departing.
“It’s not that we were surprised, maybe disappointed,” he said.
“But like every footy club, you have to move on.
“We’ve lost a few but we’ve recruited five or six guys at this point in time that we think are going to fit the bill for us and replace in the main most of the players that have moved on.
“We think our coaching staff is second to none. We’re very keen and confident we’ll give all the teams in the competition a run for their money.”
The Lions will open their campaign with a clash against Avondale Heights on April 6.
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