Victorian Amateur Football Association: Tom Downie signs with Old Scotch as Cardinals eye redemption

Old Scotch has earmarked the coming VAFA Premier B campaign as a season of redemption. But a ticket back to the top flight won’t be handed to the Cardinals on a silver platter

Old Scotch has earmarked the coming VAFA Premier B campaign as a season of redemption.

But a ticket back to the top flight won’t be handed to the Cardinals on a silver platter according to coach Dale Bower

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The signing of Greater Western Sydney's Tom Downie will boost Old Scotch’s hopes of VAFA redemption this season. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“We’re pretty keen to have a really good year and get right back up,” he said. “But everyone is really aware that there’s no automatic right, there’s nine other teams who want to (be promoted) and there’s some quality teams among them.

“In fact, I was looking at the history and, more often than not, the team relegated doesn’t go straight back up.”

After finishing ninth last season, Old Scotch was relegated from Premier with a 6-12 record, although it can count itself a little unlucky as it was just a game shy of DeLa Salle, Old Xaverians and Old Melburnians in what was an exceptionally close race.

After losing four games by less than eight points early in the season, it was always going to be tough for the Cardinals.

“Starting 0-7 was always going to make it hard and there were some narrow losses to quality sides in there as well,” Bower said.

“But we exposed a lot of the younger players to A Grade footy and that’s going to hold them in good stead.

“We’ve got a young list with a lot of potential and there’s a good group coming up from the under-19s that made the grand final last year.”

After a solid six weeks prior to Christmas, Old Scotch has returned to the track with an emphasis on better use of the football in clutch situations, something that cruelled the Cardinals’ season in 2018 according to Bower.

“It was just moments,” he said. “Just opportunities when we could have won games and didn’t take our chances, it was the tale of our season.”

Old Scotch coach Dale Bower Picture : George Salpigtidis

On the plus side, the Cardinals have signed GWS Giants bigman Tom Downie who, standing at 203cm, is set to have a big impact this season.

Downie was drafted by the Giants from the North Ballarat Rebels at No.56 in the 2011 National Draft. He made his debut in 2014 and went on to play nine games, generally as a back up to Giants best and fairest, and Swans premiership player, Shane Mumford.

He later had a much publicised battle with anxiety and depression and retired from big league footy in 2017.

Bower said he has been impressed by the young man, both on and off the field.

“He’s trained really well and quickly become part of the club,” he said. “He’s a fantastic athlete with great leadership skills.

“He’s faced up to what his problems were and he’s in a much better place.

“His football IQ is outstanding and he’s a tremendous leader already. He’s such a good story.”

Bower said the Old Scotch squad remained relatively unchanged, though the return of a number of players from last year’s long-term injury list would be a bonus.

“We’ve had two or three we’ve lost that we would have liked to have kept,” he said. “If we can keep our better players on the park it’s almost like having some new recruits.”

Old Scotch will open its Premier B campaign when it rolls out the welcome mat for Fitzroy at the Camberwell Sports Ground on Saturday, April 6.

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