NFL 2019: Laurimar co-captain Luke Wilson targeting Division 3 grand final berth

Buoyed by his team’s rapid progress last season, new Laurimar co-captain Luke Wilson is targeting a grand final berth in his first year in the role.

Laurimar Football Club co-captains Mitch Thompson and Luke Wilson.

Buoyed by his team’s rapid progress last season, new Laurimar co-captain Luke Wilson is targeting a grand final berth in his first year in the role.

The Power surged from two wins in 2017 — their debut senior campaign — to earn a maiden Northern Football League finals berth last year in Division 3.

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While their meteoric rise was ultimately halted by South Morang in a semi-final, Wilson said reaching finals had left the club intent on achieving more success.

“Going in last year knowing that we had no expectations,” Wilson said.

“This year we’re the hunted now. That in itself is also pretty exciting but it means we have got to do it a lot harder this year.”

Wilson joined Laurimar last season from Whittlesea, where he struggled for senior opportunities.

He featured in 12 senior games for the Power under first-year coach Justin Sherman, who has re-signed for 2019.

Laurimar enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last year. Picture: Nathan McNeill.

“It was a new club, a young club. I was a young player,” he said.

“I thought, ‘why not mature with people around me that are the same age?’

“That was a real drawcard for me, maturing and knowing that people around me are going through the same sort of thing.

“We can go through the journey together.”

Wilson will share the captaincy with fellow on-baller Mitch Thompson.

The pair has replaced Adam Dennis, who has left the club.

“We’d be very disappointed if we didn’t make a grand final, without a doubt,” Wilson said. “But then again, everyone starts afresh at the start of the season. We have got to be realistic. “To get there, you can’t really look too far ahead. But we know the playing group is capable of something like that and that’s a really exciting part of going into this year.

“Last year we didn’t really know what we were capable of, but now we do.”

Laurimar does battle with Mernda last season in Division 3. Picture: Nathan McNeill.

Dennis and Jack Kreuzberger, who has moved to Horsham for study, are the only key departures from Laurimar Reserve.

Wilson said the Power were determined to emerge as a genuine flag contender.

“We have got to train a lot harder this pre-season to leave us in good stead,” he said.