Melton Central looking to break eight-year Riddell District finals drought

Melton Central coach Matt Sproule hopes to lead the club back to RDFL finals for the first time since 2012 in what looms as his last season in charge.

Melton Central will look to break a eight-year finals drought in 2021 in what will be coach Matt Sproule’s last season in charge.

The Blues stalwart believes his team’s best players are as good as any in the Riddell District but is looking for his team’s depth to improve if it is to make a challenge.

Central finished seventh in 2019, three games outside the top six.

With Rupertswood and Broadford’s departure dropping the league to nine teams, the finals has subsequently been reduced to a top five, increasing the difficulty.

Sproule said the club’s pre-season and practice match form had given him confidence.

“The club’s in good nick, our top 10 are really good players and we just need the rest of the team to play their role to support them,” he said.

“We’ve lost a few so we’re going to be very young but our practice match form was better than expected and I think we’ll be pretty handy.

“We concentrated on using the footys over the pre-season rather than fitness just to make sure it was more fun for the boys after 18 months off.

“Of course we’ve got to be realistic, there’s four really strong, well-established clubs and then the likes of Romsey, Woodend and Lancefield and us are pretty even battling for one spot.”

After taking the reins in 2017, Sproule was set to hand over the clipboard this season for a well-earned family holiday.

He’ll coach out the season, determined to leave the Blues in a strong position on and off the field.

“This being my last season I just want to improve the club and leave it in good stead,” he said.

“The club knows that, I didn’t want to leave them in the dark, I was supposed to travel for 12 months before COVID and hopefully we’ll get the chance to do that next year.”

Melton Central’s 2019 captain James Aquilina has stepped away while exciting youngster Lachlan Phillips has joined Ballarat league club and cross-town rival Melton.

Best-and-fairest podium sitters David and Mick Callus have also departed.

The club will be led by co-captains Daniel Foley and Jarrod Spry.

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Key forward Curtis Schultz will pull the boots on after two years out of the game while Sproule likes the look of new recruits Tehumarie Callander (Echuca) and Izayha Speer (Woodside).

“We were disappointed to lose him but Lachie wanted to play at a higher standard so we can understand that,” Sproule said.

“Curtis hasn’t played since he was at Sunbury Kangaroos in 2018 but he’s looking forward to getting back into it.”

The Blues kick off the 2021 season against Western Rams at Ian Cowie Reserve.