Mornington Peninsula league: Frankston YCW unveils new look in 2023

Key departures. Exciting ins. Frankston YCW will have a new-look list as it chases back-to-back MPNFL Division 1 flags.

Zach Barrett will lead Frankston YCW’s ruck division in 2023. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“We’re going really nicely,” Frankston YCW coach Paul Goonan says as his side prepares for another premiership campaign.

The Stonecats dropped only two games last season as they motored to their eighth premiership in the past 12 years.

“It’s been completely different from last year, our numbers are a lot lower but that’s probably because we’ve got eight blokes at VFL at the moment...and a few of our older blokes have had a slightly slower start up,’’ Goonan said.

“And we’ve lost a handful of players to other clubs looking for opportunities.”

Frankston YCW beat Bonbeach in the 2022 Division 1 grand final, 10.11 (71) to 6.9 (45).

But substantial list changes have followed.

Frankston YCW celebrate the 2022 MPNFL Division 1 flag win.

Luke Paynter.

Defender Dylan Roberton has crossed to rivals Pines.

YCW’s other departures include Josh Berenger and Tom Baker to Hastings, Ben Wagner and Hayden Raphael to Seaford and Luke Black and Matt Briggs to Cora Lynn.

They all played ones footy last season.

Star young Stonecat Henry Berenger will play in the WAFL, with Subiaco.

Ruckman Bailey Schmidt has moved to Queensland for work, opening the door for Zach Barrett to be YC’s number one ruckman.

“Zach Barrett has really taken on the challenge, we put it to him, he’s looking bigger and stronger than ever,’’ Goonan said.

“He will lead our ruck division and Josh Patullo, who is six foot seven, will help out there.’’

Goonan said: “If everyone is available I think there’s only two players who played in the grand final who won’t be available this year which is Dylan Roberton and Henry Berenger. But everybody else is playing.’’

Goonan said Frankston YCW would regenerate from within.

“We have this influx of probably six to eight of our under 19s from last year who are going to play senior footy this year, you know, straight away,’’ he said.

“There are guys who are just jumping out of the ground.”

Kye Whitford has joined YCW.

Frankston YCW coach Paul Goonan.

Goonan was especially upbeat about teenager Heath Bidgood, who has had a wretched run with injuries over the past two years but so far this year, “hasn’t missed a beat and he’s looking exceptional’’.

Recruits?

Kye Whitford, who spent time on Casey Demons VFL list, has joined Frankston YCW.

“He had some injuries, so he hasn’t really played much for a couple of years and he wants to get back into it,’’ Goonan said.

“We’ve sent him to one of our physios to get his body right…and he’s taken some really big steps the last couple of weeks since we’ve come back and he looks a million bucks. I’m pretty excited about what he’s going to give us.”

Frankston YCW’s core group, including league medallist Blake Mullane, Brenton Lambert, Kyle Hutchison, Kev Lylak, BJ Credlin, Matt Troutbeck, Luke Paynter, Matty La Fontaine and Josh Patullo, will again drive the Stonecats in 2023.

Several young Frankston YCW players are training with VFL clubs, including Darcy Murr, Ethan Stanley and Lachie Bryce, at Box Hill.

Max Gregory looks like he’s got a contract at Casey Demons.

Goonan said teenage premiership player Jimmy Cahill, who was on Frankston’s VFL list last year, had “committed a hundred percent this year to local football rather than VFL’’.

“He won a flag last year as a 19 year old in his first year of senior footy and he’s training the house down and he’s bigger and stronger and I think he’ll move into a bit of midfield stuff, that’s the plan with him,’’ Goonan said.