Expect a close season
WINCHELSEA coach Brendan Forssman insists reigning premier Thomson is beatable, forecasting one of the closest GDFL seasons in recent memory.
As the Blues prepare for their 2019 assault, Forssman declared the Tigers were rightful favourites to secure backto-back flags.
But he’s adamant the premiership race is wide open.
“Thomson might be the team to beat, but I don’t think they’re unbeatable either,” Forssman said. “On your day, if you’re up and about, you’re a chance to beat anyone.”
The Tigers have bolstered the list that powered them from second to beat minor premier Inverleigh in last year’s grand final, heightening belief they will surge to more success this season.
“They were a very even group last season, but as far as the rest of the competition, I think it’s going to be really even from second down to 10th,” Forssman said.
“A lot of teams will be on the improve. Bell Post Hill have been spoken about with players leaving, but they’re such a proud club.
“I’m not going to write them off just yet, either. I think we’ll improve, Geelong West and Werribee Centrals will improve, Bannockburn have recruited really well and Inverleigh have lost a couple of players but they’ve got readymade replacements.
“Anakie have recruited well with a few boys from Lara, so I think there’s going to be a lot of teams on the up and it’s probably going to be the most even season we’ve had for a long time.”
The Blues missed the finals on percentage last year, but Forssman is bullish about his team’s prospects. “I certainly hope (we can take the next step),” he said.
“We missed finals by percentage last year and that was disappointing. We had a fast start to the year and we had a poor finish to the year, but I think we learnt a lot from that.
“We might have got a bit ahead of ourselves and realised that we can’t take anything for granted because the competition is really evening out.
“From what we did last year, I think our best footy is right up there with all the other teams, so it’s just a matter of sustaining that for all the season rather than part of it.”
Forssman will again implore his side to play an attacking style of footy, a brand that carried the Blues to a host of wins in 2019.
“In the first half of the season we were looking to take the game on and we were quick with our ball movement,” Forssman said.
“But in the second half of the year, after looking back on some of the games, we were a little bit stagnant and stopstart and that allowed teams to set up behind the footy a bit better and they were able to control the game.
“We want to get back to taking the game on and roll the dice a little bit more.”