WRFL 2019: North Footscray reloads with signings
After a disappointing 2018, WRFL Division 2 club North Footscray has had a busy off-season. But coach Jonathan Miller admits he is “absolutely bewildered” about one departure.
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North Footscray is set to field a new-look line-up in 2019 after a fruitful off-season recruiting spree.
Troy Manolis (Caroline Springs) and Asher Kirk (Wyndham Suns) headline the signings as the Devils look to rebound from last year’s WRFL Division 2 elimination final defeat.
Manolis has kicked 28 goals over the past three seasons in Division 1, but booted 54 majors in the second tier in 2016, while Kirk was named at centre half-back in the Division 3 Team of the Year last season.
Nathanael Smith (Burnside Heights), Sam Martin (AFL Sydney) and Brad Ellis (Bulleen Templestowe) have also arrived.
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North Footscray is hopeful landing the signature of Kirk’s brother Rhys, and coach Jonathan Miller said there were others “in the pipeline”.
“Fair to say it will be a pretty different side to last year, especially the way we’ll structure up,” Miller said.
“We’ll be a little bit more mobile.”
Miller expects Michael Garstin and James Mullins, who made five senior appearances between them last season, to play a bigger role this year.
Youngsters Ned Sayers, Harry Brown and Brandon Crnogorac-Shell are also set to gain opportunities.
The Devils have lost two players of note, with Brandon Walsh crossing to Strathmore and Jordan Lampi moving to battling country club Ardmona.
Miller said he was “absolutely bewildered” by Lampi’s decision.
After claiming the flag in 2017, North Footscray’s premiership defence ended with a 13-point semi-final loss to Parkside.
The Devils defeated the Magpies three times during the regular season by a combined margin of 174 points but failed to fire when it mattered most.
While the club was hit hard by injury during the campaign, the outcome was well below expectations.
“We didn’t have the ability to respond when we were sort of against the flow I guess,” Miller said.
“As a club, North Footscray have probably had it their way for the past few years and I think that showed last year. When the chips were down, we just didn’t know how to respond and the toys came out of the cot a little bit.
“To beat Parkside three times … it’ll probably haunt me for a while.
“To then still go on and have more scoring shots in an elimination final and lose by 13 points, it probably spoke volumes of where we were at and our (in) ability to cope well under pressure.”
North Footscray will tackle Manor Lakes in the opening round on April 6.
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