A YEAR ago, Spotswood had to travel to Albion to see the home side unfurl its Western Region Football League division1 premiership flag before a much-anticipated grand final rematch served up one of the games of the season.
Twelve months on, the roles will be reversed with the Woodsmen giving the visiting Cats a taste of their own medicine, hoisting the 2011 flag before Saturday’s blockbuster season-opening grand final replay at Donald McLean Reserve.
“It’s a good thing to be able to do in front of your supporters,” Woodsmen premiership player-coach Chris O’Keefe said.
“As soon as the flag is unfurled, we won’t be worrying too much about last year. It’s all about this year, a new group of players, an opportunity to put our best foot forward and hopefully win another one.”
The Woodsmen, who have won four of the past five top-flight flags, are arguably stronger on paper than last season. They were dealt major setbacks with the departures of Rohan Couch and Michael Lewis, and retirement of Ray Jensen. The hellos, however, more than offset the goodbyes.
Woodsmen premiership players Lachie McGhie, Matthew Fogarty and Steven Puhar return for the green and golds, along with quality signings Ben Perry (Ainslie), Christian Elliott (Williamstown CYMS) and Ryan McGhie (Boort).
Lachie McGhie is undoubtedly the most significant of the ins. The home-grown star was one of the WRFL’s dominant big men before moving to Mooroopna in the Goulbourn Valley Football League and will fill a position on the field where the Woodsmen might have been vulnerable had he not returned.
“No doubt in my mind before he went away last year, he was the No.1 ruckman in the league,” O’Keefe said. “To get him back certainly gives our midfield a lot more potency to hopefully get first use of the ball.”
Big things are also expected from the athletic Perry.
The 195-centimetre versatile former basketballer arrives after playing top-level football
with Ainslie in the strong AFL Canberra competition.
“He can play anywhere: forward, back and in the middle,” O’Keefe said. “He’s got a very good engine, runs all day and is mobile for a big man.”
Former AFL player Jason Cloke returns for a second season with the Woodsmen.
The utility should be fit and raring to go, having run around for Palmerston Magpies in the Northern Territory Football League over summer.
The Woodsmen, who will be captained by home-grown talent Tom Langlands and vice-captained by Dylan Ayton and Elliott Wood, will return to being the hunted this season, a position in which they have plenty of experience.
“Whoever comes away [with the flag] at the end of last year is going to have that tag,”
O’Keefe said.
“It’s something we’re going to have to deal with this year and make sure we do everything in our power to improve on last year because every team is going to be serving it up to us.”
The WRFL division 1 season begins on Friday night with a mouth-watering St Albans versus Deer Park clash under lights at Kings Park Reserve at 7.45.
WRFL
Division 1: St Albans v Deer Park (Friday night), Spotswood v Albion, Sunshine v Sunshine Heights, Altona v Port Melbourne Colts, North Footscray v Hoppers Crossing.
Division 2: Braybrook v Yarraville-Seddon Eagles, Coburg Districts v West Footscray, Glenorden v Albanvale, North Sunshine v Laverton Magpies, Parkside v Wyndhamvale.
