EFL 2022: Nunawading reveals bold plan to rebound amid winless season

Eastern league Division 4 club Nunawading has revealed its bold plan to bounce back as it faces the prospect of a winless season.

It’s facing the prospect of a winless season – but Nunawading senior co-coach Ryan Dobson has identified where his club must pounce to keep pace with its rivals.

The Lions slumped to their heaviest loss so far this year at the hands of Silvan on Saturday, as the ladder-leader piled on 37.23 (245) to win by 218 points.

The result consigns Nunawading to 0-11 on the bottom of the Eastern league Division 4 ladder, having suffered an average losing margin of 94 points this season.

It won one match in 2021 from 11 after three victories in 2019.

Nunawading’s Cooper Winter has been one of his club’s best this season following a Team of the Year nod in 2021. Picture: Supplied

Despite facing its first winless campaign since 2018, Dobson says his club will look to target experienced players at season’s end in its bid to climb the ladder.

“We’ve actually improved – I think the quality of the list has improved but everyone else has as well,” Dobson said.

“Realistically, we’re probably still that five or six (experienced) players off being able to compete with everybody … I think we’re competitive in stages.

“We’ll look to target them in the off-season to add to an exciting young list, but we’re probably five or six senior players off pushing to win some games and looking to go further.”

The Lions co-coach believes an injection of experience could spearhead a winning culture among the young group.

“It’s also about being able to develop that winning mentality as well – Nunawading’s obviously struggled for quite a while now,” Dobson said.

“When you’ve got a young list it’s difficult to start that mindset and I think we just need to bring a couple of guys in to drive that winning culture.”

Returning tall Brooklyn Gebel-Lamb has been among the Lions’ best this season with 18 goals from 10 matches after crossing back from Ringwood, and Cooper Winter has played every game and featured in the best on six occasions following a Division 4 Team of the Year nod in 2021.

While wins on the field have been elusive, Dobson said the club remained in a sound position.

He said numbers were strong across players and volunteers, the launch of a senior women’s side had given the club a major lift while it was “well on track” to be debt-free by 2023.

Auskick has also entered its second year with the club hopeful of forming a junior arm next season.

“That’s the positive for the year is how good things have been off-field … the on-field stuff hasn’t come together just quite yet but the committee and everyone behind the scenes have done a good job,” Dobson said.

“All that stuff is what keeps you positive … we’ve got a good club here, we’ve got the building blocks in place to have sustained success as a club, not just as a team.”