SFNL: Carrum Patterson Lakes has geared up its premiership credentials with nine ready-made recruits
Carrum Patterson Lakes is poised for a big 2024 after filling its missing links with nine ready-made recruits. Coach Brad Canavan explains how he thinks the newcomers will lift the group.
Southern
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Carrum Patterson Lakes coach Brad Canavan expects his bundle of new recruits to ignite a spark within the existing playing group.
Despite finishing a place ahead of the year before, Canavan said the Lions failed to improve on its successive elimination final defeats and “needed to add some skill by foot and leg speed” during the off-season.
They’ve since added Lindyn Vraca (Chelsea), Mitch Brander (Somerville), Ryan McMahon (Somerville), Charlie Dixon (Somerville), Mick Kennedy (Langwarrin), Spencer McCartney (Seaford), Brendan Doyle (Seaford), Zak Turner (Dromana) and Harrison Scott (Cheltenham).
Canavan said the Lions had some clear conversations at the end of 2023 about how they could move forward.
“We had some good exit meetings last year with some of the stalwarts,” he said.
“We talked about not wasting another year of your career, the coaching staff didn’t want to waste another year.
“We are hoping we get some good natural growth out of that (the recruits) and once guys turn up and see new players (and think) ‘oh jeez he’s a good player, he’s in the midfield now, what am I doing’.
“We hope to get the natural spike there.
“If we can get a bit of growth out of the whole group, then that will be a great result and you’d hope that we can have a better year than last.”
Canavan was pleased with balance of the Lions’ recruits and said they coincided with the development of the first under-19 side in a number of years.
“We’re pretty happy, there’s a nice little mix there,” he said.
“We wanted to try and connect off the back half, through the middle and be better going inside 50.
“It’s huge for our club, historically speaking there was no kids.
“Thankfully at the moment it looks like we’ve got a good group of 18, 19-year-old kids coming through that should be able to form a side this year.
“We might snaffle a few of those out of there for a taste of senior footy too.”
Carrum Patterson Lakes kicks off its season with Black Rock on the road.
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