EDFL 2021: Taylors Lakes locks in two key signings
Chasing more experience in a bid to climb the Essendon District Football League Division 1 ladder, Taylors Lakes have secured two important ins for 2021.
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Taylors Lakes has added vital experience to its young squad for the 2021 Essendon District Football League Division 1 season.
The Lions have secured the services of midfielder Aaron Di Matteo, who has made 39 senior appearances for Premier Division outfit Essendon Doutta Stars in the past years.
Di Matteo has also had stints at Pascoe Vale and top-flight Northern league club Northcote Park.
“He’s that age bracket that we’re after at 26, 27 years of age. It’s just that maturity and experience we want to bring to the group,” coach Charles Cuzzupi said.
“He’ll fit in nicely through the midfield for us.”
Forward/midfielder Nathan Kennedy has returned to Taylors Lakes after two seasons with Division 1 rival East Keilor.
Kennedy, who will be a one-point player, managed just six senior games in 2019 but was selected for the grand final as the Cougars went down to Craigieburn.
“The reason for him coming back is a lot of his mates are at Lakes,” Cuzzupi said.
“He’s excited to come back. He lives around the corner from the ground, it’s where he started his juniors, so the timing is right for him.”
Cuzzupi said the Lions hoped to secure “another one or two” recruits as they eye a climb up the ladder.
The club has failed to contest finals since 2014 and finished seventh with four wins last year.
Sharpshooter Patrick Rose and ex-AFL player Scott Harding, who were the pick of the 2020 recruits, have re-committed for next season.
Big men Andrew Gallina (returning) and James Cimbaljevic (St Albans) were also key inclusions.
Taylors Lakes has lost Scott Polycarpou, who has taken up a work opportunity in Horsham.
But the Lions are bullish about their emerging players, headlined by the likes of Darby Lalor, Josh Vassolo, Luke Denny and Salvadore Melilli.
“While we’re trying to give these kids opportunity to develop their game, I think it’s important to have the footy smarts around them to give them that support,” Cuzzupi said.
“When it doesn’t go their way, they’ve got the maturity around them to know that’s part of football and they’ve got to grind their way through it.
“If we were to just throw them back into the fire again, I think over the next 12-18 months you’d lose some good footballers.
“It’s a fine line between earning and giving games and trying to develop.
“We know where we want to get to in the next two years, so we’ll just keep staying the course.”
Cuzzupi has signed on to coach Taylors Lakes for the next two years.
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