Werribee Centrals recruiting spree starts with two key signings, coach Rhyce Prismall outlines preference

A GDFL coach has ruled a line through a particular age bracket of recruits, saying the club only wants to target youth. But there is one exception to the rule.

Football GDFL: Thomson v Werribee Centrals. Werribee centrals 2 Rhyce Prismall Picture: Mark Wilson

Werribee Centrals coach Rhyce Prismall is hoping the club’s newest signings will add depth to a squad that faced an injury crisis halfway through the 2022 season.

The Centurions had a number of players miss the entire season through significant injuries, including Brad Carlton, Darryl Chesterman, Darcy Insall, and Zac Anthony, and eventually finished with a 5-13 record in a disappointing season.

Prismall said the depth of the squad was the main issue he wanted to address in the off-season.

“Last year we had a terrible run with injuries, I don’t like using it as an excuse but it showed that we needed better depth,” he said.

“Our depth had to get better in case things didn’t go to plan again, we didn’t go after any sort of positions but we wanted good young players to add to our depth, and if they could play through the middle that would be good as well.

“I don’t think we had an omission until about halfway through the season.”

Bryce Linehan-Cunningham is one of the GDFL’s best young players. Picture: Mark Wilson

The club announced in October the signings of Jarryd Scotland and Harley Kilby, with the club expected to continue to be aggressive in luring new players to Werribee Centrals.

Prismall said there were “a number of boxes to tick” in the recruiting process.

“We thought about the policy about how we don’t want to beg people to be at our club, we want people to be there,” he said.

“Whether it’s friends of friends, or guys who are new to the area or old guys coming back, we wanted to get guys in that wanted to play for us.

“Jarryd Scotland was playing at Sunshine the past couple of years, they got relegated so he wanted to stay at a decent level of footy and he’ll slot in as a bit of a utility across the ground.

“I actually played with Harley a few years ago and always liked him, he’s a good kid and he works hard, he’s always running laps and getting the most out of himself so it’ll be good to get him back after a couple of years at Werribee Districts.

“I don’t really see a future in recruiting players that are 33, 34 years old and on the way down, I’m always looking at guys in that 25 to 26 year old bracket.

“We’re trying to build something, there’s no point trying to bring guys in to top up when we’re looking to be a dominant side for half a decade, we want guys to be here for five years at least.

“But if a talented 33 year old wants to join us we’re not going to turn him away, but that’s just not our highest priority.”

Originally published as Werribee Centrals recruiting spree starts with two key signings, coach Rhyce Prismall outlines preference