EDFL: Taylors Lakes look ahead to positive 2023 Division 2 season

Steve Burns oversaw the last six games of Taylors Lakes’ 2022 season as he looked ahead to 2023. He’s opened up on what he learnt and what the club needs moving forward.

The last six weeks of the season were a free hit for Taylors Lakes.

After Charles Cuzzupi stepped down as senior coach, Steve Burns was named as his replacement for the remainder of 2022 and for next year.

He oversaw the last six games of the season as the Lions eventually the Essendon District League Division 2 season with a 5-1-10 record to finish sixth on the ladder.

Burns liked what he saw and hopes to lift the club back up the competition ranks in his second stint as senior mentor.

“I don’t like where Taylors Lakes is but there’s a bright future ahead,” he said.

“My coaching staff and I want to see Taylors Lakes back in Division 1 at a minimum. We’ll stick around until we’re there and hopefully longer.

“Everything is telling us that we’re trending in the right direction. The last six weeks were a god send for me. We used 32 players with close to 10 or 11 of our experienced players.

“It gave us an idea of what we’ve got to work with. The youth at the club is fantastic, they’ve brought in to everything we’ve asked of them.

“The expectations are going to be a lot bigger next year. I was quite impressed with how strong of a bond there is.

“I believe we’ve got stepping stones in place to improve quickly.”

Steve Burns during his first stint as Taylors Lakes coach. Picture: Angie Basdekis

The groundwork which Burns has already laid was on full display in the final game of the year where the Lions accounted for an undermanned Burnside Heights 17.13 (115) to 10.7 (67).

The Bears are finals bound while Taylors Lakes wait for a return to finals footy for the first time since 2014.

Josh Vassolo was the star with seven goals.

“It was nice for the boys to play the way we’ve asked them to and come away with a win,” Burns said.

“Burnside had a few out but so did we. I thought we did a terrific job to control the contest. Josh is only 19 or 20 and has a bright future ahead of him.

“He’s come through the Taylors Lakes system and spent a bit more time in the middle of the ground the last few weeks. He had a bit of a calf niggle so we thought we’d leave him forward and he managed to kick six goals, five of those were in the first half.”

Joshua Vassolo of Taylors Lakes. Photo: Hamish Blair

Another Lions young gun to keep an eye on moving forward will be 15-year-old Rhys Bauer who played the last four games of the season.

“It’s his first year at the club and we wanted to reward our best young talent which Rhys had shown to be,” Burns said.

“He’s a good size at 15, he’s already 6’1”. You can’t have too much expectation on him but he gave us a great look at what’s ahead.

“He’s going to have a great career whatever level he plays at.”

Burns is already on the front foot for 2023 with “92 per cent” of the current playing list committing for next season.

And he’s clear on what he wants to bring into the club.

“We need experience and leadership like any side,” he said.

“If we want to play finals, we need to improve our group from the inside and outside. We’ve got parts of a spine but would love to add a quality ruckman and centre-half forward but those are positions every club is chasing.

“We’ll talk to guys and work through those. But it’s also about bringing in the right people into our environment.”