EFL: Trent Martin flags desire to play on in 2021
Silvan mentor Trent Martin has provided an update on his coaching future and the shape of the playing list ahead of season 2021...
Local Footy
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Silvan coach Trent Martin has declared his desire to play on in 2021 and lead the club again.
The Division 4 Cats playing-coach was set for a third season at the helm in 2020 after taking over at the end of 2017, and despite just turning 35, Martin is unequivocal in wanting to go around again as a player and mentor.
“Obviously being older, I just don’t want to finish my career of playing or coaching in the way this is all unfolding,” Martin said.
“There’s a few little things we’ve got to tick off, but I’m I have every intention to round out my career at Silvan and it won’t be on the back of the COVID year, that’s for sure.
“I’ll keep playing until I’m no good anymore … and I’ll keep coaching as long as they want me.”
Martin remains “confident” the club will keep its list intact, including North Ringwood duo and 2015 Mitcham premiership pair Jayden Hoegel and Rob Petracca, who joined the fold as marquee recruits for 2020.
“We were really enthused with the list we had coming into this season, so we want to retain everyone,” Martin said.
“Our priority is to retain everyone and we’re well on-track to do that.”
The club won the under-19s premiership last season and is set to build its foundations on retaining its youth.
It had instilled under-19 premiership player Matteo D’Alfonso as its new co-captain for 2020, with the young gun awarded the best on ground honours in the grand final.
Martin believes winning last year’s underage flag will hold his club in good stead as it prepares to tackle the slashed player payment ceiling, expected to be capped at $50,000 for Division 4 clubs.
“I’m confident where we’re at – we’re lucky in a way that we won the under-19s flag, with some we dragged a heap of kids from Norwood and then retained them as senior players,” he said.
“They’ve won a flag together, so they want to be together.”
Silvan fell agonisingly short of a finals berth in 2019, finishing in fifth spot to miss out by 0.55 per cent.
Martin said while it burned deep among the senior group during pre-season, the club has moved on and shifted its motivation to simply taking the field again.
“It becomes irrelevant – coming into this season it was definitely relevant and left a bitter taste in our mouths, but just to be back playing footy, that’s all we want to do,” he said.
“We know if we can retain the list, we know we’re going to have a decent side, knowing we’ve put together a good list.”
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