Heidelberg West coach Dale Mayne discusses club’s recruits and expectations

31 for 31: As Heidelberg West’s finals drought nears 30 years, the club is looking to build long-term success with new recruits and a fresh look in 2024.

Heidelberg West aim to break 30-year finals drought.

New Heidelberg West coach Dale Mayne says the club has been “rejuvenated” over the off-season.

The Hawks lost several key players during summer but have been active recruiters, bringing in several players with top-flight experience.

In a season of unknowns in NFNL Division 3, West’s ability to make a finals challenge adds to the intrigue.

This season marks 30 years since the club played finals, a drought it is determined to break with a shift to a top-five format in 2024.

However, Mayne said he’d been brought in to deliver a long-term plan.

“We’ve lost a bit of experience, a core of players from last season, but we’ve rejuvenated the list.

“We’ve brought in players that can help us long-term, good players that have come for the right reasons.

“We’ve got our partnership with Keon Park but we still have to be careful with points so our objective has been to bring in players that won’t be a short-term fix.

“We haven’t got heaps of stars like Lachie Evans, Brad Moore and Dan Kelly.

“It’s a really good opportunity for others to step up and an opportunity for us to be a more even team, which is something we think is a really good thing for the club moving forward.

“We’ve got small goals we’re ticking off, we’re not looking too big picture at the moment.”

Evans, the reigning Division 3 league best-and-fairest, Kelly, the club best-and-fairest, and club great Moore have departed, along with Alex Williamson and Louis Hill.

In their place, the Hawks have acquired the likes of Jacob Smith, James Condello and Liam Wanders (all Macleod), Patrick Molony (Parkside, VAFA) and Michael Italia (Banyule).

Mayne pointed out Dane Dmitrovic and Ayman O’Dowd as two pre-season standouts.

Mayne said the new faces had lifted the standard at pre-season training and fitted in well.

“The recruits have all been impressive, a lot have come from clubs with high standards and brought that with them,” he said.

“We’ve brought some exciting young players into the club … who have embraced it and enjoyed learning the gameplan.

“We’re trying to have a consistent standard at the club and an enjoyable place to play footy.”

Heidelberg West will play two practice matches in readiness for Round 1 against VAFA club Kew and Division 2 outfit Lower Plenty.

The Hawks will kick of the new season away to newcomers Old Paradians on April 6.

Mayne said the addition of the Raiders and fellow arrival Ivanhoe would make for a better competition and help his team’s consistency.

“It’s a bit of an unknown with two new teams coming in and I respect Epping a lot, they’re the benchmark in my opinion,” Mayne said.

“We’re going to get better because it will be an even competition across each round.

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“There’s a bit more continuity whereas in previous seasons you might have had a bye and then a couple of teams that are struggling and bounce into a harder game.

“We have to be durable and come to play every week and results will look after themselves.

“I’m not making an spectacular predictions, we just want to play good, solid football.”

Heidelberg West’s first home game of the season comes in Round 2, a Saturday night match, against Ivanhoe on April 24.