New University Blacks coach Luke O’Connell confident the club won’t suffer VAFA premiership hangover

LUKE O’Connell has had no reason to go shopping for bacon, eggs, Berocca or other hangover cures throughout University Blacks pre-season.

s08mv934 g1 (7 of 10) VAFA B section. Old Essendon vs University Blacks. University Black's 42 A. Smith 070818 Picture: Kris Reichl

LUKE O’Connell has had no reason to go shopping for bacon, eggs, Berocca or other hangover cures throughout University Blacks pre-season.

O’Connell, who has returned to steer the Blacks after their breakthrough Victorian Amateur Football Association flag last year, said the potential for a premiership hangover had been discussed for about two minutes during pre-season.

“We spoke about it once on the very first night for two minutes,” O’Connell said.

“It was put to bed really quickly. From that moment on and all through the pre-season they’ve been really hungry and training really hard.

“I don’t think that’s an issue at all.”

Charlie Richardson has been one of the standouts on the track after returning to the club, having taken a season off in 2014.

O’Connell said the 2012 Premier B best and fairest, skipper Bede Mahon and Angus Drysdale had set the standard for their teammates.

“Having Charlie Richardson back has really given us a spark,” he said.

“He didn’t play last year, but he played a few years prior to that.

“He’s a really good inclusion for us. He’s a typical Blacks sort of guy and has slotted straight in which is great.”

Star on-baller Tyson Kruse has been selected on Richmond’s VFL list, but will play in the VAFA when he is not chosen by the Tigers.

The club has otherwise maintained most of its list and focused on honing a game plan O’Connell hopes will keep it at the top of the table.

“We want to be an attacking team but we want to have really strong defensive principles,” he said.

“We feel like that’s an area, that defensive side of the game, that if we’re focusing on that the rest will flow off that.

“That will be our focus for the year.”

Uni Blacks has showed form in practice matches against Old Xaverians, Beaumaris and Ajax, giving its new coach optimism it will start the season strongly.

The club opens its campaign with a home fixture against Old Scotch on Saturday, April 11.