SFNL: Ashwood had a specific type in its recruitment focus for 2024

Ashwood has a grand vision and feel its multi-facetted recruitment need can set the club up for sustainable success. See why.

Ashwood

Ashwood coach Michael Decorrado walked away from the Division 3 grand final with an itch to taste the elation Endeavour Hills were feeling.

He sat down with president Paul Hattersley and captain George Lithotomos to discuss how they could do it.

They knew they could go out and recruit for an instant premiership but were levelled enough to know it wouldn’t take them where they wanted to be in five years.

The trio agreed a selection of exuberant, talented and speedy kids between 19-21 years of age were the solution.

They wanted a group of kids that could play senior footy immediately, but also set the club up for sustainable success.

And they feel Connor Wall (Waverley Blues), Austin Creak (Richmond Central), James Flavien (Caulfield Grammarians), Craig Griffin (Forrest Hill) and Harrison Ure (Skye) are the perfect fit.

“It was about where we wanted to head next,” Decorrado said of their plan.

“We could easily go out and get some guys come to the club and go into Division 2 but they will then call it quits and we will start again.

“We thought ‘what’s the best way to move forward?’, so we put together a plan and put some time into our junior boys but also go and get some guys that are 19-21 to play senior footy.

“We have gone down the youth path, not because we need to rebuild, but because we want to get some new blood.

“We’re trying to get a blend of players that can play senior footy but also be at the club for about 10 years.”

Ashwood is looking for sustainable success. Picture: FACEBOOK

After losing back-to-back preliminary finals to the eventual premiers, Ashwood knows it isn’t far away.

Decorrado – in his first year as senior coach – felt the side lacked leg speed, so young recruits became a win-win situation.

While pace and fitness will be something to expect out of Ashwood in 2024, Decorrado is working towards the sweet spot of fit and fatigued come round 1.

“We had a bit of a step back and asked: ‘why were Endeavour Hills and Frankston so good this year?’ and it (the answer) was the fitness element,” he said.

“We were more of an inside mid and stoppage side, but we felt it just didn’t work come finals.

“We are trying to add a bit more pace, fitness is something we can work on over pre-season, but we wanted to add more pace to keep up with fast sides at the pointy end of the year.

“The plan is for us to have a solid pre-season, I understand there’s more to life than footy, so I want balance as well.

“I don’t want to kill them over summer but we’re pushing things like gym, pilates, yoga, just to make sure their bodies are right”