MPNFL: Karingal signs recruits as three Bulls head into retirement
Recruits and retirements will lead to a younger and faster Karingal side in 2020, coach Brendan Dunne says.
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Karingal has recognised a need to add youth and speed to its list after being outrun by a zippy Red Hill in last month’s MPNFL Division 2 grand final.
And, so, the Bulls have signed three quality young players — Peninsula Pirates Sam Glenn and Jordan Pomeroy, and Pearcedale forward Laughlin Cowell.
“We are trying to bring the list demographic down a bit,’’ Karingal coach Brendan Dunne said.
“You look at what Dromana and Red Hill have done with good, young, fast lists.
“We really want our core average age to be down around that 24 mark. And add a bit more pace to our side, so that’s what we’ve gone out to do. It’s been good.’’
Dunne said Karingal was a chance to add another two or three young recruits in the coming weeks.
He said Glenn, Pomeroy and Cowell are “all really good ball users’’ who would make an impact in 2020.
“We are looking to bolster our midfield and half forward line with young, quick, good ball using talent,’’ he said.
“It’s probably an area we thought we fell down (in last season).
“We reckon our backline is our number one strength so we didn’t really recruit any back men.
“Our list will be a lot younger and quicker next year.’’
There is speculation champion full forward Marc Holt, who kicked 85 goals for Karingal, will return to Cranbourne next season.
“He hasn’t committed to us yet,’’ Dunne said.
“He hasn’t definitely said he’s going. He just wanted to get his surgeries out of the way.’’
Holt topped the league goal kicking table, despite snapping his bicep tendon in Round 2.
Asked last month about a possible Holt return to Cranbourne, Eagles coach Steve O’Brien said: “It’s possible…he bleeds Cranbourne, mate, so it’s probably always a possibility.’’
Dunne said three players from Karingal’s grand final side had retired — Justin Farrelly, Grant Goodall and David “Buddha’’ Hirst.
“It’s not a bad thing,’’ Dunne said.
“It’s probably really good because a few guys have been lacking opportunities the last couple of years and they really want the opportunity, so they’ve got to grab it now.
“You watch what Dromana did and Red Hill was probably a bit too quick and young and fit for us. It’s a direction we probably have to go down. We were probably your bigger body, smash and crash list.’’
FORMER FOOTY STAR TRAINS FEATURE WINNER
MPNFL: RED HILL PULLS AWAY FROM KARINGAL IN GRAND FINAL
In other changes at Karingal, Dunne will share the senior coaching role with Luke Forsyth, who was an assistant coach and looked after the reserves last season.
“I think it will work really well, we’ve got similar coaching philosophies but at the same time we are pretty good at challenging each other,’’ Dunne said.
Matt Jackson has been appointed coach of the Bulls’ Under 19s, with Dale Alanis his assistant.
Chris Stanley will coach the reserves.