Local footy: Avondale Heights coach Paddy Byrne on post-COVID benefits
With the focus on balancing the books and recruiting for 2021, one suburban coach explains the vital role footy clubs will play as Melbourne returns to normal.
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Amid all the talk of reduced salary caps, player movement and the impact of the coronavirus crisis on balance sheets, the value of interaction between club members can often be overlooked.
The 2020 season was supposed to be Paddy Byrne’s first at the helm of Avondale Heights in the Essendon District Football League.
But while he was naturally disappointed as an ardent football man to not lead his team in an official match, excitement is building as the fog clears to signal the return of training.
Zoom meetings can finally be replaced by face-to-face catch-ups.
For Byrne, the genuine passion all members have for their clubs and the game cannot be underestimated.
“It’s more about the young guys getting in and kicking the footy,” Byrne said.
“It’s probably impacted them more than it has us.
“But even the older blokes coming back and saying ‘G’day’, it’s pretty refreshing.
“You get tied up in money, contracts and when you peel it all back, blokes just enjoy being involved in footy. It doesn’t matter if they’re running water or pulling the boots on, they just enjoy being around a footy club.
“That’s the real crux of it.”
One of the Heights’ most loyal players has taken on a coaching role at the Premier Division outfit in a boost.
Dual best-and-fairest winner and star midfielder Matt Cravino has been appointed playing assistant coach, while Adrian Aparo will continue as an assistant focusing on the forward line.
“He’s got a really good footy head,” Byrne said of Cravino.
“You don’t play as many years as he has if you don’t have a good footy head, especially at his size.
“Really good rapport with all the young blokes, old blokes, new blokes, so nine times out of 10 that makes you a good coach from what I’ve seen over the years. He’s a ripper in that regard.
“He’ll be at a point where the young mids could jump over him in that mid, centre role, but he’s got a beautiful leg on him as well.
“He can certainly help the team in other areas, other than putting his head over the footy.”
Byrne said he was hopeful of landing a key position player and midfielder in coming months.
Midfielders Connor Byrne, Hamish Murphy, Jack Watkins and Dinny Cleary are all VFL-listed and their availability is uncertain given the new-look 22-team state league competition, with stand-alone clubs having to contract 20 players under the age of 23 and 10 under 21.
“We’ve got some really good young mids on VFL lists, so it (recruiting plans) will depend on how many games they play and that sort of thing and how strong we are from week to week,” Byrne said.
“If we could pick up another mid that’s not on a VFL list … and I think we will. There’s plenty of blokes floating around in January once they finish cutting and sorting out their VFL lists.”
The Heights have lost 2020 recruit Muhammad Saad and Jake Edwards.
Matt Darby, Danko Bzenic and Matt Chisari have recommitted after signing on after the 2019 campaign.
Avondale Heights finished eighth with four wins last year and will face Pascoe Vale in Round 1 on April 10.
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