BEARS LAGOON-SERPENTINE
PROFILE
BEARS Lagoon-Serpentine might have the longest name in the Loddon Valley FNL but the club came up short in the 2023 season – just one game from the grand final.
So determined are the Bears to take that extra step this year, they have decided to bring in the biggest guns they could lay their hands on.
From enticing Sandhurst veteran Jake Wilkinson to sign as coach, to securing proven country football talent – and fringe Fremantle AFL player – Josh Mellington to pack some punch into its forward line. He kicked 205 goals in two seasons at Violet Town, before playing nine games at Benalla last season.
Add in the return of ruckman Nathan Twigg to the club and arrival of Darcy Hawker from Boort and you begin to get the picture of where this coach is going in the new season.
Wilkinson said the off-season had been “about bringing in some top-end quality”.
“Being a defender by trade means you want to keep opposition teams to low scores, but also use that defence as a rebound so we can move the footy well – and quickly – from defence to offence,” he said.
“Because we have built an attack based around Josh Mellington, Farran Priest, James Rippingale and Andrew Gladman, you want to make sure you give them every chance to operate alone, or one-on-one, so turning defence into offence quickly has to be pivotal for its effectiveness.”
He said the list was probably where they fell short last season.
“They were a good team, but others had their measure, so it was important to recruit players who would make an impact straight away,” Wilkinson said.
“We have had a great start – with as many as 30-plus on the track every training, which has helped make life much easier.
“The group is pretty supportive, which has been nice, and shown they are always willing to give new things a go and learn a couple of things.”
Wilkinson reports he wants the team to work with his game plan that he has drilled into them – “after that, the ladder should take care of itself”.
“We haven’t done a heap of line work just yet as we’ve focused more on whole team structure, but the plan has been to get into that during our practice matches leading up to round 1.”
He considered last year’s grand finalists – Marong and Pyramid Hill – the ones to chase again.
“But the signs here are just as promising,” he added.
FROM THE COACH
“My focus on fitness has been a big one, while making sure everyone is on the same page regarding how we want to structure things. We always try and make sure we do things with a purpose and are not just training for the sake of training. If we’re doing a drill, we’re doing it to make us a better team.”
KEY PLAYER
Josh Mellington: He might have only played a handful of games for Fremantle but he has been a great forward in Victorian country football for a number of years. He’s a very experienced operator, having played at the highest level and been a class performer in the Ovens & Murray and Goulburn Valley leagues. He was expected to add some polish to the forward line, be a direct target and a leader on the field.
INS & OUTS
INS: Josh Mellington (Benalla), Nathan Twigg (Boort), Darcy Haker (Boort), Farran Priest (Echuca United), Tyler Myles (Maiden Gully-YCW), Ross Turner (Mitiamo), Doolan Nihill (White Hills).
OUTS: Aidan Brohm (North Bendigo), Kyal Zass (travelling Australia), Anthony Lewin (Swan Hill).
