EDFL 2019: West Coburg reveals key signings for Division 1 season
West Coburg has lost several key players but remains confident it will be a contender in Division 1 after securing some key signings.
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West Coburg coach Dale May is trumpeting the EDFL club’s young talent after an eventful off-season.
The Burgers have lost several key players but remain confident they will be a contender in Division 1 after finishing last in the top flight in 2018 and suffering relegation.
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Deer Park premiership winner Jake De Sousa, who has also had stints with Taylors Lakes and Albanvale, has arrived at the Burgers, along with former Pascoe Vale, Strathmore and Coburg Districts player Tom Mendico.
Ex-captain Robert Hudson has returned after a season at Tullamarine, while four-time Strathmore premiership player May also boosts the playing stocks.
May said he had been impressed by the likes of Khaled Elhaouli and Sean Gerdtz on the training track as West Coburg prepares to compete in the second tier for the first time since 2014.
“We’re confident in our youth,” May said.
“Our reserves finished sixth last year. The depth’s there and the average age is about 23, 24, which is good to work with, especially when you’ve been in Premier Division the last four years.
“There’s a few young guys that have played 5-10 games who are pushing for selection at the moment.
“We’re looking forward to hopefully playing them for a full year.”
The Burgers have lost two-time best and fairest winner and star midfielder Jack Yelland, who has moved to Queensland to link up with Surfers Paradise.
Omar Saad, Omar Abdallah and Marwan Abdul-Wahed have crossed to Westmeadows, while Daniel Johncock and Daniel Archer have followed former West Coburg coach Digby Morrell to Pascoe Vale.
Calder Cannons product Muhammad Saad, brother of Essendon dasher Adam, has joined Macleod.
May said the club was “confident” of contesting finals if it landed two prospective recruits in coming days.
“We’ve looked at guys who have played Premier Division,” he said.
“We needed a bit a bit of speed. Tom Mendico’s got speed and Jake’s got experience.
“It (recruiting) is hard at West Coburg, but we’ll be all right.”
May will be supported by experienced mentor Robert Hyde, who is his assistant and director of coaching.
The Burgers will meet last year’s Division 2 premier Roxburgh Park in Round 1 on April 6, and May said his players would be well prepared.
“They’ve given me 110 per cent. The first couple of training sessions, a couple of guys pulled out of the running,” he said.
“But now everyone is finishing the running side of things. The boys are coming off the track buggered and aren’t whingeing or complaining.
“It’s pretty positive at the moment. I’m impressed with them. They’re still training like a Premier Division club.”
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