By Tara Murray
Reigning premiers Werribee enter the Victorian Football League season in a similar spot to 12 months ago.
The Tigers have turned over more than half their list in the off season, with a number of key departures.
It leaves an exciting time for coach Jimmy Allan ahead of the season kicking off this week.
“I’m really excited for it, it’s been a long pre-season,” he said. “We’ve played a couple of games now and the juices are flowing and we’re ready to get up to Southport and see how we go..
“I guess it’s the nature of the best. Thirty-one in and out of the club with a list of 52 with train ons.
“It’s a high turnover and it will take some time for us to play our best footy together.
“We are pretty confident that we will be competitive and the signs so far are pretty good.”
Allan said they have the nucleus of a good side with plenty of premiership stars staying at the club.
He said they would expect them to start to take the next step.
“We have some guys who became established players in the competition last year,” he said. “The next step in their development is to start to lead and provide some guidance for guys who are in the same position as they were not too long ago.”
New skipper Jesse Clark is front and centre of that. Allan said everyone loves what he does.
“It’s a great story,” he said “He started off in our emerging leaders program and progressed to an official leadership role within the group last year and now takes over as skipper, does everything we want from a leader.”
Also part of the leadership group is premiership captain Dom Brew. The star midfielder spent the off season with the Western Bulldogs as he tried to make their AFL list.
Allan said it was disappointing that Brew had to achieve his dream, but wasn’t complaining that he was back in Werribee colours.
“It’s a funny one with the draft and the SSP,” he said. “We lost Jack Henderson… you build great relationships with these guys, you really care about them and want them to get to where they want to go, that is AFL level
“You feel disappointed for Dom that he didn’t get that chance and ecstatic for Jack that he did.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say I was happy that Dom is here.
“He told me I’ll be calm and ease back in, and it took him one night and he was back barking orders. It’s like he was never away.”
The Tigers have added a number of recruits in the off season, many with some VFL experience.
Allan said while they have some idea what to expect, most didn’t have a lot of experience.
“We rolled out a side on the weekend and the average number of games played was 10,” he said. “Take Brewy out, the average was six and you have 15 players who haven’t played yet.
“It is exciting and that is what it is all about.
“The step up from Coates League and local footy, is quite significant and it takes some time to build the confidence and have that belief that they belong at that level.”
Allan said Ryan Eyers, Harry Maguire and Noah Tullio were three recruits that had impressed him, while Jake Smith and Jaelen Pavlidis are two he expects to take the next step.
Werribee starts its season against Southport on March 22 at Southport in a grand final rematch.
Allan said they requested to travel early in the season.
“It’s great for our boys to get together, we get to see really early in the season how we are travelling,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for them.
“I’m looking forward getting up there and testing ourselves against who we rate as the best side in the competition.”
