WRFL: Albanvale signs Nathan Calleja, eyes Division 2
Albanvale coach Andrew Bryson addresses his side’s WRFL Division 3 grand final loss in 2019 and gives an update on how his senior squad is shaping up for next season.
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Albanvale has had plenty of time to ponder last year’s grand final defeat.
The Cobras were outgunned by Glen Orden in the 2019 Western Region Football League Division 3 decider after finishing the home-and-away rounds minor premier.
But coach Andrew Bryson is refusing to dwell on a cancelled season and solely focused on the future as his club looks to “not only finish our job from last year … we want to make up for this year too.”
“Looking back to where we were just over 12 months ago, there was a lot of disappointment in not being able to win the grand final, but as a club we were really happy in how far we were able to progress,” Bryson said.
“We feel that’s been our advantage when we’ve talked to players and being able to re-sign most of the current list, (with) the culture we’ve been able to build and players seem to be happy and enjoying each others’ company.
“That’s something we’re really proud of, and the next step like most clubs would be to win that flag, enjoy that together, and move up to Division 2 and see what the next three or five years hold for us.”
With most of the senior squad locked in for 2021, Albanvale’s push to earn promotion to is gathering early momentum.
The Cobras have landed some key recruits since the end of the 2019 campaign, securing Matthew Hayes (Glen Orden), Jonathan Miller, Vince Rizzo (both North Footscray) and Greg O’Shea (Coburg Districts).
They have also signed Nathan Calleja from Division 3 rival Braybrook in a major plus.
Calleja is a triple best-and-fairest winner at the Brookers, winning the award in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and has the ability to fill multiple positions.
“We were trying to get him across at the start of this year,” Bryson said.
“We had a few conversations and were obviously looking to improve from where we were last year.
“To be able to engage in those conversations again, a lot of the credit goes to president Adam Borg where we looked at what we need … he was really keen and we were able to lock the deal in.
“He’s a good height, not overly tall but he’s not small and he’s pretty quick.
“He’s a great mark, good user of the footy and has good knowledge of the competition, which will be really handy with our group.”
Bryson said the ins would help free up hard-runners like best-and-fairest Ricky Cameron and runner-up Kym Taylor.
He expects Wyndham Suns, Tarneit and Braybrook to be among the premiership contenders next season.
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