LOOKING FORWARD – POWELLTOWN

The first ever AFL Outer East season is creeping ever closer and as anticipation builds we’ll be taking a closer look at each and every club in our newly formed home.

2019 is a massive year for the Powelltown Football Netball Club as the Demons celebrate their 100-year anniversary, 1989 Senior Premiership and its 2009 A Grade Netball Premiership – and they are looking to make it count.

The Demons have been active in recruiting players during the 2019 off-season, many of whom are returning to the club after having previously played there. This includes their senior coach Grant Newing who is back to finish what he started in 2016 and 2017. His last season saw the Demons’ reserve and senior sides make the preliminary final.

“It’s going to be a massive year this season for us and we haven’t left any stone unturned,” said Football Manager Geoff Mooney.

“Grant has some unfinished  business and was keen to get back involved at the club for the 100 year anniversary.”

Other recruits coming through the Powelltown doors are Dean Smith (Greenvale), Rhys Johnson (Greenvale), James Rohan (Greenvale), Terry Walker (Warburton Millgrove) and Josh Johnson (Chirnside Park), all of whom will add to the Demons list which includes three 2018 Team of the Year selections – James Ashby, Ben Wratten and Jack Garthwaite.

“All the boys have fitted in wonderfully so far, “

“Josh (Johnson) is exactly what we needed, someone who is very skilful by foot and is a good decision maker.”

The Demons have had good numbers on the track all pre-season and have been utilising this to focus on changing their game style and ball movement, with an eye to September football. They were able to put this new game style into action in a recent practice match where they defeated Eastern Football League outfit Kilsyth.

“The way we are going to move the ball will be different this season, it’ll be more of a keeping’s off style with an ability to adapt to what the game situation dictates.”

“The goal is to make finals and then go deep into them and feed off the momentum around the 100^th year anniversary and the ’89 premiership reunion.”

Powelltown are also looking to build in the netball sector after they gave a strong club showing in 2018 as all sides made the finals. However, they will be looking to improve their output during September where only the C Grade side managed to get past the Semi-Final.

Mooney says that the club’s unity will no doubt help both the footballers and netballers in their quest for premiership success.

“The family atmosphere down here is unbelievable, you can be a guy or girl who has just rocked up and on the first night you feel like you’ve been down here for ten years, that feeling really drives us,”

“Obviously we would like to celebrate all our goings on with a premiership, but I think more importantly it would great pay back to the President (Peter Podolinsky) – he deserves a premiership more than anyone I know.”

Powelltown host Yarra Junction in Round One of the ATC Traffic Division Two Season.