Victorian Amateur Football Association: Melbourne High School Old Boys are keen to make amends for disappointing 2018

After coming up short of expectations last year, there’s a hint of redemption in the air down South Yarra way as Melbourne High School Boys set themselves for the coming VAFA Division 2 season.

After coming up short of expectations last year, there’s a hint of redemption in the air down South Yarra way as Melbourne High School Boys set themselves for the coming VAFA Division 2 season.

After finishing 2017 in third place and then bowing out of the finals by just three points at the hands of Old Paradians in the first semi-final, much was expected of 2018.

But, the Unicorns finished 9-9 and fifth, five games shy of a runaway top four.

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Coach Matt Nicholas calls the shots at the MHSOB huddle

“We were probably closer to the bottom sides than the top four in the end,” coach Matt Nicholas said. “There’s a determination in the group to improve and you can’t ask for more than that.

“In that first final (2017) we should have won, we’d beaten everyone during the year.

“We had significant turnover since then and 12 or 13 of our 25 (last year) were new players. But they are all staying, so we’re hoping to do better this year.

“But the proof will be in the pudding in round one at Bulleen Templestowe (April 6).”

In recent years, MHSOB has been knocking on the door like the busiest of collectors during the Red Shield Appeal.

As well as last year’s fifth and the near miss of 2017, the Unicorns have finished fifth (2015) and sixth (2015) but need to look back to 2009 to see their last premiership success.

But, the season of redemption has started solidly with the club boasting pretty handy numbers at training with two months to go until the first bounce of the campaign.

“We’ve been back about three or four weeks,” Nicholas said.

“Numbers are always pretty strong for us, we probably had about 40 on Tuesday night.

“But what’s the most pleasing thing is we had 18 under-19 players on the track. We’ll have firsts, seconds, Club XVIII and juniors this season.”

The Unicorns have lured Mount Eliza’s Tim Strickland and Scott Braithwaite from Beaumaris, two handy utilities who’ll boost the side’s versatility.

“We’ve got good ball-winning mids,” Nicholas said. “We’re probably lacking a bit of a marking intercept defender and, like everyone else, you’d like a key forward.”

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