Grand final pain driving Coolaroo and Langton
AUSSIE RULES: Michael Langton has achieved a lot in his time on the Darling Downs.
He is a dual-premiership winner with Coolaroo in 2013 and 2015 and claimed the Ellen McConochie Medal for best on ground in the latter decider.
The midfielder took out the Holman Medal for player of the year along with Goondiwindi’s Charles Youngman last season.
But it is the events that followed that drive Langton and the Coolaroo squad coming into this year’s shortened Allied Pickfords Cup season.
The Roos went down by just four points to the Hawks in the decider, left to rue an inefficient goalkicking display that saw them slot 17 behinds with just five majors.
“We use it as a driving force,” Langton said.
“It was very disappointing, but we take a lot out of it. Our boys have taken a lot away from it and we want to come back bigger and better this year.”
Langton was rewarded for his consistency with the Holman Medal honour and wants to keep playing at a high level in 2020 while guiding the club’s rising core as well.
“Hopefully I can keep my footy skills up and keep mentoring the young blokes,” he said.
“We have a few that are coming through and that have joined us from different clubs, so I want to keep playing my game and contributing to the team as best I can.
“I don’t mind helping the young blokes and taking them under my wing. They’re the future coming through our club.
“You can win 100 premierships, it’s the same feeling every time. It’s just an amazing feeling and to be able to bring these young blokes through that have never been to a grand final day, you get the excitement that they are ready.”
While admitting that things did get tough during the enforced training break, Langton said that the squad has kept up their work.
“The COVID break has really thrown a spanner in the works for a lot of clubs. We did our-pre-season and were keen to get back on the horse.
“It was tough to get motivated at times, not seeing your mates each week to train.
“In saying that a lot did stuff in their own time and we remained hopeful that footy would come back.”
Coolaroo has been thrown into the deep end with today’s return to football, hosting Goondiwindi in a grand final rematch at Rockville Park.
Langton is choosing to view the fixture as an opportunity as opposed to a negative.
“For me I think it’s a blessing. There’s no better team than Gundy, and they are the team to beat,” he said.
“We want to challenge ourselves in round one and see where we are at, see where we can improve and be better.
“With the shortened season there is an emphasis on every single week. If we want to make it to the finals, we have to give our best week in and week out.”
sean.teuma@thechronicle.com.au
ROUND ONE FIXTURES ALLIED PICKFORDS CUP
Coolaroo vs Goondiwindi at Rockville Park; South Toowoomba vs Toowoomba at Heritage Oval; South Burnett vs Dalby at Lyle Vidler Oval. Games at 12.50pm today. SENIOR WOMEN South Toowoomba vs Toowoomba at Heritage Oval; South Burnett vs Goondiwindi at Lyle Vidler Oval. Games at 12.50pm today.