Lancefield coach Tim Bannan discusses the club’s 2023 ambitions, new recruits

New Lancefield coach Tim Bannan isn’t expecting his team to challenge for finals but believes it is time for the club to be harder to beat in 2023.

Brendan Crowhurst in action for Lancefield. Picture: George Sal

First-year Lancefield coach Tim Bannan believes it’s time the Tigers started to turn the corner.

The Riddell District club has struggled for wins in recent seasons but a new coach and new season brings renewed positivity.

The club has won just two games in four of the past five seasons and three in the fifth.

Bannan’s arrives from Heathcote District Leitchville-Gunbower, which itself has fallen on hard times since it’s 2018 premiership.

He believes there’s enough talent at the club to make a bigger mark in 2023.

Tom Waters stepped down as Lancefield coach. Picture: George Sal

“That’s all you want to be is competitive, you don’t want to get blown out of the water every week,” Bannan said.

“If we can keep the guys we’ve got on the park, four or five games would be great to win and anything that happens is a bonus after that.

“We know we’re not going to push for finals, we’ve been in a rebuild for a little bit but I think it’s time now to turn the tables and have a crack.

“From my point of view it would be nice to get four or five wins and just work with these young kids and get them up to senior standard.

“Then hopefully in the next two or three years we can start pushing for finals.”

Closing the gap between points for and against will be a major indicator of Lancefield’s turnaround after scoring an average of 43.5 points per game and conceding 113.

The Tigers warmed up for the season with practice matches against WRFL club North Sunshine and Heathcote District outfit Daylesford.

The club copped the bye in Round 1 and will kick off its campaign away to Woodend-Hesket.

Lancefield is expected to unveil several new faces, most notably Riley O’Meara from EDFL Premier Division club Essendon Doutta Stars.

O’Meara played all 18 games for the Stars last season and returns to his junior club.

“The O’Meara name is a big family around the Lancefield footy club,” Bannan said.

“Having him back is a big bonus for some of the young guys and with his uncle being one of my assistants, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

“He’s been really good and his pre-season has been huge so hopefully we can get a bit out of him.”

Joel Regan follows Bannan from Leitchville Gunbower, while Nick Simpson was part of Golden Square’s Bendigo league reserve grade premiership last year.

Callan Randall is a premiership player at Lockington Bamawn and has coached the club’s reserves

Arii Rintala (Trentham, MCDFNL) and Zach Webb (Merbein, Sunraysia) have also arrived.

“Zach’s come out of the Sunraysia league and played a fair bit of senior footy.

“Regan, I coached him last year, and he’s going to be a bit of a mentor for some of the young kids.

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“He’s played a fair bit of footy and been fairly successful so he’ll be a good inclusion.

“Callan has come over from Lockington, he’s played in a few flags and coached their twos for a few years.

“And Nick played in a flag with Golden Square in the twos. He’s quite athletic and looks a lively type, so he’ll play off half-back probably and looks alright.”

Lancefield will travel to Diggers Rest in Round 3 before returning to Lancefield Park for the first time in Round 4 against Melton Centrals.