BRIDGEWATER
PROFILE
FIFTH is the hot spot on the Loddon Valley football league ladder this year – everyone who finished south of it in 2023 has made that the benchmark of success.
It’s where Bridgewater did finish, and although it has had a very serious crack at bolstering its ranks in the off-season, it is still facing something of an uphill challenge.
The top four sides have been going flat out stacking their ranks with some genuine talent, some as replacements but most are new blood, and quality players who will raise the stakes for everyone when the season begins.
And that’s the dilemma facing co-coach Rick Ladson.
He has had his own recruiting coups, including marquee names such as Strathfieldsaye’s Lachlan Sharp and the return of Lee Coghlan, who has previously been a star at Sandhurst.
Big news in the league, especially when you toss in three more from Strathfieldsaye: Harry Conway, Jack Neylon and Joe Mayes. In 2023 Sharp kicked 98 goals, including a season-high 14 against Kangaroo Flat in August.
No question, Ladson has done just about everything he can to get his side ready for the dream to come.
“The youth we have coming through is really promising and we’re really excited about what lies ahead,” he said.
“It’s always exciting when you have an off-season line we did.
“Bringing in the experience we have to the footy club has been fantastic. The training sessions have been intense and there’s a buzz around the club.
“The boys are really keen to do well and push each other. The commitment of the group has been really pleasing.
“While we’ve recruited well, at the end of the day we’re still 20 goals behind the best side (Marong), so there’s plenty of work to do.”
By those calculations, it also puts them 18 goals behind Pyramid Hill, last season’s runner-up, which has also been doing some recruiting of its own in its bid to catch Marong.
But Ladson wasn’t fazed.
“There’s some good energy around the place. When you come together as a group, and you’re striving for success, it’s really important to have that connection and have some fun while you’re working hard – and we are.”
FROM THE COACH
“It’s easy to get caught up in the pre-season hype but everything you do pays off in September, not March. It has been exciting bringing in the talent we have been able to sign for 2024 but we have to convert that on the field and there’s no doubt the commitment is there, you can feel it everywhere you go around the club.”
KEY PLAYER
Lachlan Sharp: He is set to deliver as part of the coaching staff and, on game day, his co-coach Rick Ladson says his sheer presence on the field will invaluable for the younger players as an example of how it’s really done, and encourage the more senior players to raise their own bars.
INS & OUTS
INS: Lachlan Sharp (Strathfieldsaye), Lee Coghlan (Sandhurst), Harry Conway (Strathfieldsaye), Jack Neylon (Strathfieldsaye), Joe Mayes (Strathfieldsaye).
OUTS: None.
