VAFA: Old Haileybury on the pace in Premier B

The past couple of seasons was a battle for Old Haileybury but Daniel Ward’s team has picked up the pace in 2021.

It’s been a terrific start to the season for Old Haileybury.

For Old Haileybury, the game has changed.

Its two previous seasons were about holding on in VAFA Premier B.

It was grim business, but the Bloods survived.

Now they can hold higher ambitions.

At 6-1 they’re on top of the ladder, their depth has improved markedly, they’ve unveiled some promising Under 19 players and coach Daniel Ward says a return to A grade is a goal of the Bloods.

They last played there in 2011.

“It’s been a two, three-year process where we’ve tried to get to a level and to get the respect back of where we sit as a football club,’’ former AFL Demon Ward said.

“We survived in B grade with what we had at our disposal.

“The guys who got us through those two years, when we were super-young and playing a lot of kids and guys that probably weren’t ready … a big pat on the back to them for keeping us up, because we’ve been able to attract players who wouldn’t have come to us if we’d dropped to C grade.

Brede Seccull gets busy for the Bloods.

“Now we’re aspirational. The players want to get us back to play A grade footy. Everyone knows that in-house. That’s the aim. We don’t try to look too far ahead but with the things put in place this year and with how the group have gone about it so far, we’ve set ourselves up for some success later in the year.’’

The return of Brede Seccull, an injection of VFL players, and the introduction of some Under 19s have helped lift the Bloods up the ladder.

Seccull came back to the club as a three-time best and fairest in the state leagues – two at Sandringham, one at South Adelaide – and is enjoying playing alongside his brothers Durras and Rayner.

“He’s been sensational,’’ Ward fizzed of the midfielder.

“He’s obviously someone with great experience as a player – and at a very good level – and his ability to lead and help James (captain James Paul) has been fantastic.’’

Dino Karamoshos also dropped back from the VFL, albeit with less honours than Seccull. He’s set down his mark on the club and competition.

“He’s been fantastic with his ability to use the ball, and he’s nice and hard and plays a great role for us … we’re very lucky to have him,’’ Ward said.

Noah Gown boots a goal for Old Haileybury.

The Bloods have a string of VFL-listed players on their books.

In the round before lockdown against Williamstown CYMS, they got five goals each from Williamstown pair Noah Gown and Corey Rich.

Will Mackay (Frankston), Cal Searle, Liam Delahunty (Port Melbourne), Riley Thompson and Josh Gasperini (Sandringham) also figured in the 10-goal victory.

Ward said having VFL players come in and out of the team brought challenges at selection.

But he said it was a mark of the club’s standing that they wanted to play for the Bloods.

He said Rich “lobbies hard’’ to play for Haileybury whenever he had a bye in the VFL.

“I’ve had periods where we’ve struggled for depth and struggled for numbers,’’ Ward said.

“I’d much prefer this problem. It is a bit of a balancing act. I think the key is communicating with them, communicating with the VFL clubs and communicating with our boys. A few of them have had to play in the reserves but having that pressure on for spots is a good thing.’’

Under 19s Will Gown, the younger brother of former AFL Bomber Noah, Liam Kirkwood-Scott and Castan Racunica have had a run in the seniors, in line with Ward’s belief that if they’re good enough and they want to play, he will pick them.

Racunica was the VAFA Rising Star award nominee after kicking three goals against Old Carey in Round 2. He later suffered a shoulder injury.

“The future is bright for those boys,’’ Ward said. “They’ve had that experience of senior footy under their belts and they’ve looked really composed.’’

Ollie Sharpe on the move for Old Haileybury.

At the other end of the age scale, Old Haileybury recruited Mornington Peninsula Nepean pair Rohan Heasley and Harry Whitty.

The Bloods think their best is to come.

St Kilda great Stewart Loewe, Old Haileybury stalwart Darren Seccull and two-time VFL JJ Liston Trophy champion Shane Valenti are assistants to Ward this year.

“We’ve got some great people around to help develop the young guys,’’ Ward said.

And the club also has an Under 19 team with likely players and decent numbers.

A couple of years ago it had no Under 19s.

“When you look at how successful the school program has been, it’s amazing to think we weren’t fielding a side,’’ Ward said.

Bloods coach Daniel Ward.

Having previously coached at Mallee Eagles and Monbulk, the 136-game Demon took over at Old Haileybury in 2017 and steered it to the Premier C flag.

Two years of “hanging in there’’ followed.

And although the Bloods played no football in 2020, the young players they’d introduced in the previous two years came back stronger for 2021.

The game has changed for them and the club.

— Paul Amy