FROM THE COACHES DESK...
DYLAN COUSINS - SENIOR COACH
Plenty of excitement around as plans for season 2019 come together. I am confident that the Club is in a good place and if we are willing to commit to doing the work, then we will do well. Success will only come if we work hard, and that kicks off for us over the coming weeks.
Pre Season to start Monday 19th November at Mazenod College (Johnson Oval).
6:15pm.
With 2018 in the rear view mirror we look towards 2019 with some excitement around new opportunities that present themselves in C Grade. Naturally when any club is relegated the first thought is instant promotion. It is important to understand with the ever strengthening VAFA competition that complacency can have dire impacts and like many teams burnt by this trap in the past, we too cannot assume success will be instant.
With a healthy list, a high rate of retention and the introduction of more quality under age players it is paramount that we set our football club up for long term sustainability and success in the Premier Divisions. Mazenod is not a C Grade Football
club but unfortunately we find ourselves in this position. The only way to gain the respect of the footballing community is do dig in, get our hands dirty and put in the work.
We need an air of expectation and with expectation comes responsibility. We must demand the very best as players, coaches and administrators. If we demand the very best and set lofty goals we will not find ourselves swimming in mediocrity.
This season I will have two new Senior Assistant coaches on board:
Shaun French (Mids)
Shaun is new to the VAFA after spending much of his footy life in Tasmania, the VFL and in the MPNFL. A Health and PE teacher of 18 years, Frenchy comes with a wealth of experience from a range of football settings. He cut his teeth playing footy in Tassie where he played for 5 seasons in the TFL at North Launceston alongside current Carlton Coach Brendon Bolton. Frenchy moved to Melbourne and played footy for the Frankston Dolphins in the VFL as well as spending time at both Edithvale - Aspendale and Langwarrin. He played as a midfielder and was known for his uncompromising attack on the football. His career was cut short when Greg Doyle landed on him, busting him up and costing him a place in the Langy 2006 Grand Final team.
- North Launceston TFL
- Frankston Dolphins VFL
- Edithvale Aspendale FC
- Langwarring FC
Marty Bonett (Defenders)
Marty is not new to the VAFA after spening time at Moansh Blues 10 years ago whilst they battled away in C Grade. Since then, Marty has become regarded as one of the elite junior coaches of the South East Region winning 4 Premierships at Berwick Junior Football Club whilst holding roles as head coach at the South East Juniors Football League. He has been coaching at the Dandenong Stingrays for the past 15 years and currently holds the Under 16 Head Coaching position. Similar to both myself and Frenchy, Marty is a Health and PE Teacher.
- Under 16 Dandenong Stingrays Head Coach
- Under 15 Coordinator
- Under 15 Development Coach
- Berwick Junior Coach Teams ranging from U15-17 (4x Premierships) South East Juniors Interleague Coach
- Monash Blues Assistant Coach C- Grade
Our Senior side, smashed with injuries in 2018, is excited to bring back key players who become new recruits due to limited games in 2018. These include Captain Rob Mann (6 games in 2018), Tom Warby (11), Simon Hall (6), Brad Kovac (3) Kieran McKeough (2), Liam Welsford (9) and Stuart Inglis (10).
Off the back of a Section 3 GF we are looking forward to the exciting challenge of Section 2 footy and with that the continual development of our U19 players. We are setting a lofty target or fielding 3 Under 19s teams in 2019, and becoming recognised as one of the largest Under age programs in the VAFA. Only Premier teams St. Kevin’s Old Boys and De La Salle can boast such numbers.
With that growing list of Under 19s we are excited by the recommitment of TAC listed players Vincent Zagari (Oakleigh) and Chayce Black (Eastern) whilst others that have recommitted include Lachy McKenna, Matt Fewings, Jarryd Raffa, Jack Sullivan, Marcus Mariette and Arlyn Khaiyath.
To bolster our U19 and in turn Senior program we are excited by the addition of multiple players from Waverley Park, Northvale Juniors and other clubs joining us such as Matt Mundos, Thariel Ter, Fabian Stellato, Tom Lovell and Lachie Jenkins amongst others to be announced.
As a club we are excited by the quality of talent that wants to come to our club from both the school and surrounding teams. With more recruits still to be announced it is looking like the club will have in excess of 80 U19 Players including at least 11 TAC Cup listed players and 100+ Senior Aged players, along with a minimum of 3 VFL Listed players.
In other news:
- Josh Webster is back on board to work with me in Sports Science role with the potential of bolstering his team.
- Josh Muling to have a go at making Sandringham VFL list.
- We wish Atu Bosenavulagi and Matt Fewings the best for the upcoming draft. We wish Lachy Noone the best for his ACL surgery post exams.
See you on the track on the 19th.
Dylan Cousins
Senior Coach
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