RDFL 2019: Romsey building depth to challenge league’s contenders
Romsey is intent on bolstering its depth in an effort to transform itself from a Riddell District Football League finalist to a genuine premiership contender.
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Strength in numbers.
Romsey is intent on bolstering its depth in an effort to transform itself from a Riddell District Football League finalist to a genuine premiership contender.
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The Redbacks finished sixth on the RDFL table this season, losing seven of their eight matches against the teams which finished ahead of them.
Coach Corey O’Sullivan has identified the club’s senior depth as the difference between Romsey as grand finalists Diggers Rest and Riddell.
“The difference between us and the top-five sides was depth,” O’Sullivan said.
“That’s something we are endeavouring to address, but it’s hard to get players in this environment. We will try as we might.
“We want to keep promoting our youth. Some will be pushing to play senior football next year.”
The return of Coburg VFL vice-captain Nathan Blair will add quality across halfback and in midfield, while former Northern Knights and Northern Blues forward Joel Naylor has committed to the club.
“Our players are driven, as the club is, to win a flag,” O’Sullivan said.
“I know that might sound silly from where we have finished in the past two years.
“But we believe we can get there. However we know you can’t win a flag from sixth and you probably can’t win a flag from fifth.
“You certainly can’t win a flag when, I think this year, we only beat one of the sides above us.
“We have to be able to beat these sides regularly.”
A Romsey junior, Blair has returned to the club as a one-point player with 69 games of senior VFL experience.
“He’s an exceptionally good player and can play on any line of the ground,” O’Sullivan said. “Certainly midfield and halfback is his strength. We have a pretty strong midfield and he adds to that.”
Brayden Feltham (Hillside) is the only confirmed departure from Romsey Park.
“We can already see the players are pretty driven,” O’Sullivan said.
“I wasn’t happy with how the season ended and they certainly weren’t happy with how it ended. They are pretty driven to be better.”
Romsey has started pre-season under the watch of strength and conditioning coach Neil Stallbaum, who O’Sullivan hopes will have his side primed to contend in 2019.
“When you get bundled out in the finals like we did, you need to be back early,” he said.
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