‘All things positive’
Foundations built from supporting junior programs, key recruits and an elevated level of fitness might provide the catalyst for a Noradjuhaquantong surge in Horsham district league this year.
The Bombers have undergone solid pre-season preparations, again under the direction of coach Gareth Hose, and might have turned the corner as a finals contender.
The truth is Noradjuha-quantong only missed last year’s finals by a game and a half and there is a strong sense the club is in a much better position at this time of the year than in 2018.
Hose said there was a strong, positive feeling in a player group, which had been training since November, and confirmed the senior team’s ultimate goal was to play finals.
“All things are positive at this stage. We’re happy with our recruits and training has been good,” he said.
“We felt we lost a few games early last year where fitness was an issue and it was one area we wanted to work on in the off season.
“We’ve had a great core group working on fitness and have now picked up quite a few others, such as busy farmers and others who had been unavailable with commitments.
“We want to obviously win as many games we can to go as high as we can.
“We have a good group and I’m confident the players can realise their potential.
“We need to improve our consistency to win close games. Fitness helps improve that and much depends on how younger players come on.”
Hose said Tom Cooper, who has joined the Bombers from Minyip-murtoa as an assistant coach alongside Jason Kerr, had already proved invaluable.
“He has brought new drills and ideas to the club and Nathan Byrne who has played with Horsham Saints also brings a high standard of football,” he said.
Noradjuha-quantong also has a wildcard recruit in highly decorated goal-kicking veteran Matt Walsh, 39, who has forged a considerable football reputation in Geelong and Queensland and is also a close friend of Hose.
“We might only have him for five or six games but he’s kicked over 100 goals in Cairns, won league medals, played in seven premierships, is a four-time club best and fairest and represented Vic Country and Queensland Country,” Hose said.
“He’s based in Geelong and a significant key forward, and when he does play he will bring heaps of experience and we’ll structure up well.
“Our focus will be to consistently win the footy and pressure the opposition when they have the ball.
“When we have it we will want to play with an attacking style. We will be more about running the ball instead of being a tall-target team and will have to play to those strengths.”
Other Bombers newcomers include young players such as Corey Williams and Clayton Jardine and a new tall in Leigh Baker.
“We’ve pretty much maintained our list apart from James Hallet and Evan Dorrington and we have about seven of our under-17s graduating into full-time senior football,” Hose said.
“Young blokes such as Zane Batson and Wade Francis are hanging around and others including Darcy Hogan, Jye Walter, Ryan Mcalpine, Brendon Ellis and Josiah Mock are among graduates looking to establish themselves in senior footy.”
Club president Tim Kelly echoed Hose’s sentiments about the club’s pre-season position.
“We’ve been very happy with how everything has been rolling along,” he said.
Horsham’s White Hart Hotel is again leading a group of loyal club sponsors.