Old Eltham Collegians coach Matt Sleeman reveals expectations for 2023

Old Eltham Collegians coach Matt Sleeman sees plenty of similarities between his Turtles and AFL premiers Geelong ahead of the 2023 season.

Matthew Keys and Nick Snowdon celebrate a goal for Old Eltham Collegians. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Fox Footy’s Greatest Team of All: Geelong documentary has given Old Eltham Collegians coach Matt Sleeman plenty of inspiration for 2023.

Without sounding over-confident, Sleeman sees a few similarities between his Turtles and the Cats.

A preliminary final defeat to the eventual premier, change of gameplan, a more relaxed approach and a more relaxed coach.

Old Eltham’s maiden NFNL Division 3 finals campaign ended at the hands of eventual premier South Morang in the preliminary final last year.

Following another strong recruiting campaign over the summer, Sleeman says the goal is to go at least one step further this year.

Ben Cox on the run for Old Eltham Collegians. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“We’re expecting to go a week further this year and it’s no secret we think we should be up there competing for a flag,” he said.

“I’ve just started watching the Geelong documentary and I see a little bit of similarity to us.

“Geelong obviously got beaten badly by Melbourne in a prelim in 2021 and came out the next year and won a flag.

“Losing a prelim can be tough but we think we’ve got the right mix to go again and go further.”

Sleeman puts his club’s approach to preparation and trusting his players to be ready is a major factor in the club’s recruiting success and in-season success.

Collegians have added Matt Williamson from Eltham, Epping quintet Jackson Freebairn, Jaedyn Kearney, Michael Howden, Jake Cullen and Michael Jacobson, Sam Davies from Bundoora and Luke Crowley from MCDFNL outfit Dunolly.

“We can offer opportunity to older players, we’re very open about our expectations,” Sleeman said.

“Family commitments, work commitments, by allowing guys to train when they need to – going back to Geelong, if you listen to comments after the grand final, even at AFL level they were pretty lenient on some expectations of senior players.

Old Eltham Collegians’ Bradley Johnstone marks on the lead. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“If guys can only train once a week then it’s OK, even if they can’t train at all, we trust our senior players to turn up fit and if they can’t make a session then they go do their own.

“Niall McDonagh won our best-and-fairest last year and trained once a week and got to most games at quarter-to-two because he worked Saturdays.”

Leading into the 2022 AFL season, Geelong coach Chris Scott revealed that he had taken a more relaxed approach to managing the team and expectations of his veterans.

Sleeman is no different.

“I’ve come from a Div 1 club where standards are so high, you’re expected to be there three nights a week, there’s recovery sessions, match review on Tuesdays and you could be there until 9pm,” he said.

“I obviously want to slowly infuse that Div 1 standard into a Div 3 club but if I did what a Div 1 coach does, I’d lose the whole club.

“I’ve had to mellow on what I ask guys to do but I’m slowly learning what buttons I can push.”

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Sleeman said Williamson had had a major impact at the club since crossing from the neighbouring Panthers.

He had also been impressed by Freebairn and Kearney’s commitment.

Old Eltham has also taken a quieter approach to practice matches and will only play two in the lead up to Round 1.

The Turtles have looked in matches against Outer East club Healesville and VAFA outfit Ivanhoe before tackling Mernda at Eltham College on April 15.