EDFL: How Keilor plans to cover Jonathan Marsh’s departure this season

Keilor gave its first insight into how it will cover a premiership star’s departure on Good Friday as coach Mick McGuane hinted at several options which could come into play during the season.

Keilor’s Brad Xavier. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Keilor coach Mick McGuane has never been afraid to throw the magnets around.

And it’s exactly what he’s planning to do to help cover the departure of premiership ruckman Jonathan Marsh.

The dominant big man was one of two departures in the off-season, alongside Matt Clark’s move to Tyabb, as he moved interstate for further employment opportunities.

On Good Friday, fans were given an insight into how McGuane will replace him as the Blues recorded a comprehensive 19.13 (127) to 12.6 (78) win over Strathmore.

Blair Wyllie and off-season recruit Jermarl Daly — who often gave his side an extra midfielder at ground level — took on most of the ruck duties in a rematch of last year’s EDFL Premier Division grand final.

“We’ll have to be a horses for courses scenario,” McGuane said of his plans in the ruck department this season.

“We’ll be creative with who we use in that part of the ground. Obviously we want them to compete and if we’re going to go down the path of being the team that averages what we did last year, with the amount of goals we kicked and what the opposition kicked, there’s going to be some centre bounce opportunity for multiple players.

“Because of the lateness of Marsh’s exit it made it really difficult to secure what you’d call a primary, recognisable ruckman.

“But we’ll use the boys that we’ve got primarily in our group — whether it be Wyllie, bit of (Cody) Brand. On Friday, we used Daly. We could use (Brad) Xavier, we could use (Riley) Ham, depending on who we play.”

Keillor coach Mick McGuane. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Daly was one of five players to make their first senior appearance for Keilor on Friday including former AFL pair Josh Honey (a returning junior) and Cody Brand.

Ex-Blackburn gun Matt Bartlett and Will Burke were also hand debuts.

Daly is one of three players to join the club through assistant coach Scott Grigg in the off-season.

Melvin Tataya, another of those recruits played in the reserves.

“There has been a real good mutual respect between the boys. Scott came across Jermarl through the Clontarf program,” McGuane said of the relationship between Daly and Grigg.

“He’s tracked Scotty wherever he has gone. It has taken him to Western Australia, Mildura, Toowoomba. Jermarl has been part of that journey mostly, he has always stayed connected even if wasn’t.

“Scotty coached Ouyen United (in the Sunraysia league) last season and Jermarl was living in Mildura through the Clontarf program. Jermarl came down to the footy club, he did some pre-season with Essendon’s VFL side.

“When Scott wanted to get involved at Keilor, there was an opportunity to bring Jermarl down to the footy club.”

Keilor’s Darcy Cassar. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Christos Kosman starred on Friday with six goals in a best on ground display while Nicholas O’Kearney found plenty of the footy alongside Corey Ellis.

Ham and Xavier impressed in defence.

McGuane said the performance came on the back of a strong pre-season program where junior and senior players spent time with Coates Talent League and VFL clubs.

“We’re trying to give kids the opportunity to get to the highest level they can,” he said.

“It gives them an opportunity to grow but if they come back it makes us stronger.

“Then we’ve got some challenges to meet but we’ll go down the path of picking the best team that’s going to make us better against the opponent we play that day.

“We’ll add to our growing depth that we put a high priority on.”

Keilor will next take on Deer Park on April 13.