Tara Murray
Westbourne Grammarians are focusing on the small wins in the Victorian Amateur Football League division 3 competition.
After a pre-season to forget, the Grammarians have managed to get two sides on the park most weeks.
While they haven’t got any wins on the board, the club knows this season is about the future.
Coach Roger Hand said it had been difficult for them.
“We lost the senior coach a couple of weeks before the season,” he said.
“We didn’t have many players and we were happy to just get two sides up and go and have some fun.
“Two weeks from the start of the season, we had just five players.”
Hand said they had lost a number of players going to play for league’s that pay players, something that they understand given the impact of COVID-19 the last two years.
He said others just decided they didn’t want to play football any more.
Hand said with all the changes, they had a much younger side than the last few years.
“We have more kids from the school than in previous years,” he said.
“We are a really young team with most of them playing their first year of senior football or have never played before.
“It’s something to build on. They’ve come through a really strong school program.”
On Saturday, the Grammarians lost to Hawthorn 27.19 (181)-6.5 (41).
Ali Eqbal was the only multiple goal kicker, while Jack Lishman was named their best.
Hand said while the score lines don’t look great there had been some positive signs.
“For us it’s about the small wins,” he said.
“We’ve been in matches for a quarter and shown some resilience and encouraging signs.
“Small wins are the key for us. Little periods of play, try and have 10 minutes, then 20 minutes, then a quarter, two quarters and so on.
“It will take most of the year.”
With the side sitting bottom, the club is already facing the prospect of being relegated.
Hand said that wasn’t necessarily the worst thing going forward.
“We probably need it and give the opportunity to get some more kids and set up for the next four to five year plan.”
