Eastern league: Why Berwick must recruit according to coach Clint Evans

The Wickers have waved goodbye to experienced names this off-season, but the Eastern league Premier club plans to recruit...

Lachlan Vaughan competes for the ball for Berwick. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Berwick senior coach Clint Evans says his club will aim to recruit ahead of next season while it also looks to off-set the retirements and departures of key names.

The Wickers finished their inaugural Eastern league season with a 3-6 record in seventh spot on the Premier Division ladder before the season was cancelled.

Club legend and star midfielder Madi Andrews has hung up the boots, while brother Jordy has relocated to the Mornington Peninsula, and is set to link with MPFNL club, Dromana.

Club great and reigning best and fairest Madi Andrews has retired. Picture: Bethany Hutchinson

Meanwhile, captain Luke Sheppard, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Round 2, won’t return next season alongside defender Trent Van Hout (knee reconstruction).

“Those two (Sheppard and Van Hout) definitely won’t play, and the other (injured) guys, we probably missed (defender) Joe West and (midfielder) Bailey Asher who are two of our really good players – they should be right to come back,” Evans said.

Luke Sheppard snapped his Achilles in Round 2. Picture: Supplied

And a season in the Eastern league’s top-flight has identified a need to fill gaps in the line-up, according to Evans.

“Having a look now … we know we probably need a key forward to help out Harry Money down there or a centre half forward, and a second ruckman to help our young fella, they’d be the main ones,” Evans said.

“A couple of on-ballers would be great, we likely won’t get all of them but if we can try and pick up two or three, we can still be competitive again, that’s for sure.”

The Wickers defeated top-four outfits Balwyn (Round 3) and Norwood (Round 12) to go with a win over a resurgent North Ringwood in Round 4.

Evans believes his side’s performance signalled that it “belonged” in the league’s top division.

“We enjoyed the competition, that’s for sure,” he said.

“The boys loved it, every week we were playing against real good footy sides, it was really competitive.

“I thought we went pretty well, we beat a few of the top sides, injury didn’t help us, but all in all I was pretty happy with everything.

“I thought we competed really well and felt like we belonged. It would have been great to see how we would have ended up but the way we played, we know we’re a Premier side now, we’ve just got to be able to sustain that going forward.”