Giants ready to defend flag
If there is one thing harder than winning a premiership in country football it is winning back-to-back flags.
It is simply a big ask for a community football club to maintain or keep all the ingredients needed to consistently rise above a pack of hungry opponents, all as equally determined to have success.
The environment can lead to what footy fans have all come to recognise as the good old premiership hangover.
It’s a circumstance that Southern Mallee Giants coach Shaun Monohan is all too aware as he prepares his group for another tilt at Horsham District football success.
Monohan took the reins from Hopetoun favourite son Geoff Burdett at the end of last year and has the job of keeping the fledgling giants on the crest of a wave.
“It was a bit of a fairytale last year winning a premiership in our first season in the league, so I guess my obvious expectation would be to win it again this year,” he said.
“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge before we even think about finals, but that’s the ultimate goal.”
Monohan said he hoped the Giants could feed off the success of last year but also make sure they concentrated on the 2017 season.
“I don’t have a crystal ball so I won’t make any wild predictions,” he said.
“Last year’s premiership was great, but it doesn’t guarantee success this year. We want a top-two spot again – it’s obviously tough to win the flag from lower than that – so we’ll need to earn that first.”
Monohan said the Giants’ solid pre-season had gone ‘pretty well’ with good numbers on the track and a core group of leaders driving standards at training.
“We’ve played two practice matches, against Sea Lake and Warracknabeal. They were good hit-outs and I thought we ran both games out well, so I think we are pretty fit,” he said.
“I guess I won’t know how hungry the boys are to climb the mountain again for a while yet. Early signs are good though, and hopefully last year’s success drives them to experience it again.
“A lot of teams win one flag but not many go back-toback. I’m hoping the chance to achieve something special drives the group. Time will obviously tell.”
Monohan said one of his primary ambitions this year was to help generate improvement in the playing group.
“In regards to my coaching, I’m not going to teach someone like Kain Robins much about playing as a key forward, or Tom Hallam how to play half back. But I’m really look- ing forward to developing the younger players and hopefully taking some of the middle-tier players up a level,” he said.
“I’m hoping by the end of the year to see some real development in most players – that would give me satisfaction regardless of where we finish.
“My overall philosophy is basically encouraging the players to back themselves and take the game on.
“I don’t think footy is rocket science, especially at this level.
“I don’t care if we turn the ball over if we are trying to be positive and use the ball quickly. That’s the way I’ve tried to play my footy and that’s what a lot of my favourite coaches have taught me.
“We have quite a bit of talent on our list and I don’t want to waste it chipping the ball sideways at half back.
“I also want the boys to relax and enjoy their football both on and off field. I think a relaxed mindset helps in big games.”
Many team leaders across the league have pencilled in the Giants as again the team to beat.
Player losses at the club have been minimal, with Fabian Dorbolo and Kai Forsyth the only two missing from last year’s premiership group.
“They were great for us and I wish them all the best,” Monohan said.
“Our recruits are three local boys – Coleman Schache and Toby Fisher, and Sam White is back with is us full time after playing a couple of games last year while free from TAC Cup duties. Coleman will play in the midfield, Toby is a utility and Sam has been playing at centre half forward in the practice matches – he straightens us up a lot. All three look like they will be assets.”
The Giants have a big year ahead, on and off the field.
The club is having Beulah and Hopetoun club back-to celebrations on July 1 at Beulah, but before that a black-tie mock ball at Hopetoun on June 3. A giant raffle day on July 22 and an August 12 goods and service auction at Beulah are also on the events calendar.