EDFL: Moonee Valley moves to prepare for 2021
A fruitful off-season gave Moonee Valley flag favouritism entering the 2020 campaign. But the EDFL Division 2 outfit is not lamenting a cancelled season, instead making some key moves for next year.
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A long list of quality recruits had Moonee Valley a raging flag favourite entering the 2020 campaign.
After losing last year’s EDFL Division 2 decider to a powerful Sunbury Kangaroos outfit, the Fog had reason to be chock-full of confidence.
Former AFL player Jesse Smith (Portarlington), Sam O’Brien (Maribyrnong Park), Michael Lobb (Nullawil), Alex Gleeson (Hampton), Jordan Whybrow (Aberfeldie), James McLuckie (Melbourne High School Old Boys) and Hamish Ferguson (Kangarilla, South Australia) headlined the arrivals.
But Moonee Valley has wasted no time lamenting the cancellation of the season amid the coronavirus crisis after months of hard work.
“Believe it or not, I’ve started recruiting already,” coach Shanon Carroll said.
“I haven’t really stopped as far as the player network goes, it’s more the whiteboards aren’t getting as much of a workout as they usually would.”
Carroll is yet to secure a contract for 2021 but said he was hopeful of a “short conversation” with the club’s hierarchy.
He has led the Fog to finals in his two completed seasons at the helm as it sets its sights on long-term success.
Moonee Valley has not claimed a senior premiership since 1999, but Carroll is also wary of the potential of new clubs entering the competition.
The Kangaroos completed an undefeated 2019 after moving from the RDFL, while there is ongoing speculation Rupertswood is also keen on a switch.
“There’s a long-term plan in place to have a bit of surplus in the bank as well for, ironically, a time like this,” Carroll said.
“We want to be successful and sustainable long-term and I’m really excited to be part of that moving forward.
“There is a sense of unfinished business still, but at the same time we’ve got to keep one eye on what the future holds. If a couple of new teams come into the competition, as rumoured, we need to be ready for that as well.”
In another boost for Moonee Valley, Carroll expects most of the existing players to remain.
“All the players I’ve spoken to are keen,” he said.
“I think we had a list of 87, so it’s hard to get across to everyone. There will be some guys that won’t want to go on … they’ve just got a bit of a taste of what it’s like without football and focusing on working, family and that sort of thing.
“It’s just going to have to be a reignition of that buzz again I suppose that was going around the club before it (coronavirus) happened.”
Carroll said there was a sense of frustration that a season which promised so much had been canned.
But he is also acutely aware there are no guarantees in football, with the likes of Coburg Districts, Oak Park, Burnside Heights and East Sunbury among the rival contenders.
“I’m sure there’s a few other sides in our competition that would have loved to knock us off, either in a final or even in a grand final if we were lucky enough to make it,” Carroll said.
“As frustrated as I am, I’m trying to keep myself in check that we were one of nine clubs fighting for this (premiership).”
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