EDFL 2021: How Rupertswood will recover from 10 key departures
After losing several premiership players, 2021 is expected to be challenging for new EDFL club Rupertswood, but coach Arron Bray is aiming high.
Essendon
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Moulding a new-look team into a competitive unit is not foreign territory for new Rupertswood coach Arron Bray.
But this time Bray has to undertake the task in a new league as the Sharks prepare for life without almost half of their 2019 premiership side.
The club will contest a strong Essendon District Football League Division 1 competition this season after crossing from the Riddell District league and are expected to battle given the long list of key departures.
Rupertswood has lost Todd Podolczak, Brett Chambers (both retired), Billy Cannolo (Deer Park), Dean Putt (Nullawil), Nick Grigg (East Keilor), Matthew Knight (Strathmore), Jake Sutton (Sunbury Lions), John Barnard and Leigh Wellington (both Murchison-Toolamba) from its RDFL flag-winning side, while Jackson Berry (university) will be absent for at least part of the campaign.
Former RDFL interleague coach Bray steered Broadford to consecutive preliminary final appearances in 2015 and 2016 (when he was a co-coach alongside Dean Helmers) after a shake up of the senior squad.
“I had to do it at Broadford, so it’s not something new to me,” Bray said.
“I’m probably in a little bit better spot at Rupo because we’ve still got a lot of premiership players.
“If I didn’t look to finish in the top four, I probably wouldn’t be doing my job.
“That’s where we’ll set our sights and work from there.”
On the plus side, the Sharks have retained three of the top-four placegetters from their 2019 best-and-fairest in Kayne Murphy, Matthew Elliott and Brent Swallow.
Big man Jorden Braddy has returned to club after stints at East Sunbury and Aberfeldie and will fill the void left by Putt’s exit.
Sunbury Kangaroos premiership players Nathan Caldone (half-back/midfield) and Nick Agnello (defender) are also back.
“The senior squad looks good. We’ve got some youth in there and a fair bit of experience, so we’re pretty comfortable with where we’re at.
“With youth brings a fresh outlook.
“We’ve got a fair few kids we are bringing through that are showing a bit, so any experience we can put around them, it makes a big difference.”
Another recruit in Angus Dunkley-Price and Jackson Pranauskas are among the young players who will play significant roles this year.
Bray said Braddy had impressed after honing his ruck craft with Abers in Premier Division.
“He’s a workhorse,” he said.
“He gets through the kilometres every week and his tap work is A-grade.
“Hopefully he’ll give us first use of the ball. We know there are some good ruckmen he’ll be playing against, but he’s done everything right on the track and just keeps ploughing through the work.”
Rupertswood will host Airport West in Round 1 on Saturday.
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