Fitzroy out to make the jump into Premier B top four and earn first finals appearance since 2012

COMPETING in VAFA Premier B for the fourth year running, Fitzroy has a top-four finish on its mind.

Michael Pickering Fitzroy VAFA coach. Please credit. Picture: Phyllis Quealy.

FITZROY has the number four on its mind.

Competing in their fourth consecutive Victorian Amateur Football Association season in Premier B, the Roys are intent on breaking into the top four and earning their first finals berth since 2012.

Fitzroy was second in Premier C in 2012, but has since finished seventh (2013), eighth (2014) and sixth (2015) in Premier B.

“We’ve got a strong senior core,” Roys co-coach Michael Pickering said.

“They’ve been retained from last year, which I think is really important.

“We haven’t really lost anyone out of our leadership group, they’re all strong performers.

“With that comes some continuity and understanding around the game plan as well. We’ve got some younger players we haven’t had in other years who I think are really going to add to the team as well.”

Nick Mitchell has stepped up to share the coaching duties with Pickering for 2016, while the club has maintained the bulk of its senior list including reigning league best and fairest and co-captain Rory Angiolella.

“We’ve lost a couple of senior boys travelling and we’ve lost a few to one other club out of our reserves team,” Pickering said.

“But we’ve got a few returning who didn’t play last year, so we’re probably (only) a couple down.”

Towering ruckman Matthew Gaite is expected to feature for most of the campaign in a boost to the Roys’ prospects after only playing five matches in 2015.

Forward Will Pickering and vice-captain Dominic Pound-Palmieri are also expected to have a greater impact.

Pickering said Fitzroy’s forward line — led by Corbin Stevic — would be one of its greatest strengths.

He said the club was buoyed by the quality of a crop of under-19 players who would graduate to its senior ranks this year.

“It’s probably our strongest group for a few years, so that’s really promising,” Pickering said.

“(There’s) a couple of boys from the junior club who have played senior practice games who are pretty mature bodies.

“That’s something we’ve never really had, any 17-year-olds who have been good enough to play in seniors.”

Peter Baccanello, who has joined the club from Gungahlin Jets, looms as one of the Roys’ top recruits.

Fitzroy was belted by St Bedes/Mentone Tigers on Saturday, going down by 85 points away from home.

The Roys sit bottom of the ladder after Round 1 following the 18.27 (135) to 7.8 (50) loss at Brindisi St Oval.

Daniel Bisetto was named Fitzroy’s best player in the defeat.