Saints to rely on midfield dash
Afamiliar
story is unfolding in Horsham Saints’ build-up to the Wimmera Football League season.
The reigning premiers, who clinched rare back-to-back flags at a damp Horsham City Oval last year, are going to have to run – and run fast – to collect a hat-trick of titles this year.
While the Saints have fuelled up on fresh confidence and experience that comes from securing a breakthrough premiership double, there is also a sense of déjà vu surrounding the playing group.
Last year, the prediction was that the Saints would rely heavily on a talented crop of rising midfielder runners after the departure of quality regulars.
This season, despite having a different coach at the helm, the story is the same.
There is a marked absence of key-position tall timber in the Saints playing group and the side will be without a talented regular – this time mercurial match-winning forward Jacob Cooke-harrison.
This year Cooke-harrison is testing himself at a higher level with North Ballarat and Dan Rees has also left, returning to Hepburn.
Critically, the bulk of the young ball carriers who ultimately carried the Saints through to success last season remain in the bosom of Coughlin Park.
And it is this group, with talented and multiple awardwinning Luke Fisher leading from the front that will fully test the best midfields in the competition.
Fisher, who takes the reins from Shayne Breuer, adds a new dynamic to the Saints, firstly as a playing coach and secondly as a highly reputable ball-winner in his own right.
After two years coaching at Donald in North Central league Fisher is keen to make his stamp in new surrounds.
“I’m fairly new to the game in that respect but I have played under a lot of good coaches and I guess as a playing coach I can lead by example – use my actions to show how I want the players to go about it,” he said.
Fisher has been recovering from a knee reconstruction but has been training solidly and hopes to be among the players running onto the ground for a season-opening Anzac Day clash against Horsham.
“It’s about having the confidence to get out there,” he said. “I’m aiming for round one. But I have to be smart about it. It’s a long season.”
Fisher said the Saints’ preseason had built steadily and there were now many players, including a solid crop of youngsters pressing for selection.
“I’ve been trying to get them to avoid focusing on past success and instead focus on how they have achieved that success. It’s about a process of getting to remember how hard they worked to get there. We have a young group and they are very hungry for more success,” he said.
Fisher said the Saints had little option but to again adopt a run-and-carry style of game.
“We don’t have many keyposition players or talls in general so we’re not going to be kicking to too many packs. It’s going to be about making sure we have the footy in our hands more than they do,” he said.
“Instead of having a big established forward to build a team around, we will be relying on perhaps five or six guys to kick a goal or two each – not one bloke kicking 10.”
Fisher said new faces at the club included Daniel Souter and Jordy Johns from Horsham and Brayden Helyar, Pimpinio, who were feeding off the intensity of the likes of Toohey Medallist Sam Clyne, Jacob O’beirne, Fergus O’connor and co.
The club has focused on transitioning young players from junior to senior football.
“If we can keep the under17s coming through into senior footy it will breed success,” Fisher said.
“It is a massive focus for the club and making sure we keep the guys in the club and ensuring they know how to play senior football before they get there.”
The Saints blew out the cobwebs in a good pre-season hitout with Ballarat Swans.