Ollie’s sure the best yet to come
AFTER another impressive win solidified its standing in third spot on the TSL ladder, Clarence admits the outside noise from its detractors has helped fuel them this season as they look to return to their once dominant ways.
Despite losing over a dozen senior players in the off-season – plus coach Jeromey Webber- ley – the Roos have defied most external expectations they were in for a rough year and, after taking down North Launceston on Saturday for the third time this season, now sit two games clear in third spot with just four rounds remaining.
Emerging key forward Ollie Preshaw – who was awarded three votes in the TSL Player of the Year award for his starring 19 disposal, 13 mark, six goal performance against the Bombers on Saturday – said the Roos’ best was still to come as they looked to continue to prove doubters wrong.
“People were doubting us at the start of the season, and I think we were written off after a couple of things that didn’t go our way, so it’s good to be back in the talk with the best teams in the comp,” Preshaw said.
“It’s definitely been spoken about how there’s people outside of the club that would rather see other teams succeed than us, and it definitely does fuel us.
“We go out each week and we want to show it up to these people that we are going to win and be there come finals time.
“This week we missed our Devils players, Cam Owen and Jack Callinan, so when they come back in, really, that’s our best side and if we play our best brand of footy on the day, we think we can beat anyone.”
Following his starring six goal haul on Saturday, the 20year-old emerging forward was quick to praise star teammate Colin Garland for his role in his improvement.
“Even before we played a game, he would get us to training early and do a lot of tall craft and forward craft work, which has really helped me,” Preshaw said.
“That was something I hadn’t had done much of before so learning from Colin Garland, who has torn the AFL apart, as well as the TSL, is so helpful.
“I’ve seen games where he’s kicked eight goals on some of the best defenders, so just learning from him has helped so much and hopefully it’s starting to show.”
In other TSL Player of the Year votes, it was Blues star Brodie Palfreyman who was given top honours in their big win over Lauderdale, while North Hobart’s Angus Norton was given three votes for his 26 disposals in the Dees’ win over Glenorchy.
Palfreyman’s performance saw the speedy onballer jump into the top five of the award, which is still headed by Bombers star Sam Siggins, who failed to poll in Saturday’s loss.