How Watsonia will power attack, build on drought-breaking finals appearance

Watsonia has to replace 131 goals this off-season, coach George Lattouf discusses how the club will rebuild its forward line and build on a 2023 finals run.

Watsonia players listen to George Lattouf’s address. Picture: Stuart Milligan

How do you replace 131 goals in a summer?

Watsonia is facing that very question this off-season after it’s attack was plundered by Northern rivals.

NFNL Division 2 leading goalkicker and Team of the Year full-forward James Lucente (61 goals), Charlie Khoury (25) and Julian Janev (seven) were lured away by Thomastown.

Adrian Alfonsi (28) has joined Epping, while midfielder Kobe van Zwienen (10) and brother Teague have joined South Morang.

The Saints will turn to Blake Charles, who booted 33 goals this year, and have secured young ruck-forward Rayden Garrard from Greensborough.

Watsonia coach George Lattouf. Picture: Josie Hayden

The likes of Jacob Pickett, Corey Potter and Felix Kubeil will be given more opportunity.

Watsonia coach George Lattouf said with change comes opportunity.

“That’s the beauty about football, players move on to other clubs, great people, they want to try an opportunity somewhere else and good luck to them,” Lattouf said.

“The clubs they’ve gone to are well respected footy clubs, I’m well connected with them.

“Thomastown, I coached and played at Thomastown, there’s great people at the club and good luck to them.

“It’s an opportunity for other players to come up, especially younger guys, they’ll step in – that’s team football.

“We’ve picked up Rayden Garrard, we’ve got Jacob Pickett down there and Blake Charles, so we’ve still got good forwards.

“Corey Potter will go down there, so we’ve got some good talls but we want to be dynamic too with some smalls.”

The Saints played Division 2 finals for the first time since 2008 this season.

Having secured fifth spot with a 9-9 record, they went down to South Morang in an elimination final.

Wins over Thomastown, Northcote Park and South Morang in the final six weeks secured the drought-breaking finals appearance and gives Lattouf confidence his club can once again be in the mix in 2024.

“Last year we had a great season considering, I don’t like making excuses, we had a lot of injuries during the year,” he said.

“The way the three teams galvanised together, we brought players up and won games, games other teams wouldn’t expect us to win – especially against Northcote Park and South Morang before finals, they were big wins for us.

“When we played South Morang (in the elimination final) we didn’t have a full team but it gave an opportunity for players to come up and it taught us a lesson – how you play as a team – so full respect to South Morang, they showed us what finals football is about.”

Watsonia has added three new faces so far; Garrard, Tim Todd, Baxter Evans (both Heidelberg) and Damon Braby (Eltham)

Garrard won the Division 1 Under-19s league best-and-fairest in 2019 and played 17 senior games, kicking 21 goals, for the Borough this season.

Todd made 17 appearances for Heidelberg’s reserve grade this season, while Evans returns from a year overseas having previously played for the Tigers’ under-19s in 2022.

Meanwhile, Braby played every game in Eltham’s march to the reserve grade premiership this year and will add running power to the midfield.

The Saints returned to pre-season training in mid-November and Lattouf has been pleased with the commitment.

“We’re looking really good, the boys have come back with a lot of energy,” he said.

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“We’ve got a lot of new players and a lot of young players coming up from our under-19s that will be playing senior football this year.

“What’s encouraging for me, we’ve had four sessions, and every session we’ve had 10 new players – we’ve already turned over 60 players or so, which is brilliant for prior to Christmas.

“My best recruiters are my players, my players have mates at other clubs, they see it’s a good culture and why not come and play with your mates.

“What I say to the boys, you’ve probably had a hard day at work or you’ve been at uni, this is a good opportunity to let off some steam.”