MAIDEN GULLY-YCW FAST FACTS
PREMIERSHIPS – 4 (1987, 1997, 2001, 2002)
PRESIDENT – Chris Garlick
SENIOR COACH – Wayne Mitrovic
2021 LADDER POSITION – 6th
2021 BEST & FAIREST – Chris Howgate
2021 LEADING GOALKICKER – Matthew Gray (21 goals)
INs & OUTs
INs
Jack Gallaher (St.Mary’s – NTFL)
Jessi Lampi (Macorna)
Joel Dwyer (St Kilda City)
Hamish Rookes (Kerang)
Jason Butty (Quambatook)
OUTs
Cody Wright
Liam Ly
Brayden Aitken
Natnael McLaren
Cohen Kekich
Darby Graham
Matthew Gray
Sean Moyle
KEY PLAYER
Chris Howgate – One of the best ruckmen in the Loddon Valley Football Netball League, Howgate is influential not just with his tap work but also his ability to create a target around the ground. Won Maiden Gully YCW’s Best & Fairest last season.
WORD FROM THE COACH
“Even though we’ve lost a few, with the five quality recruits that we’ve brought in to the club, I’d hope we could still finish in that fifth spot and make the finals.”
PROFILE
While the Eagles may have suffered a number of departures in the off-season, there is still cause for optimism around the club, with high-quality recruits set to join the nest in 2022.
Wayne Mitrovic enters his fifth year as coach of Maiden Gully YCW and despite finishing outside the top five at the end of last year’s cancelled season, he’s still bullish about his team’s prospects of rising up the ladder.
“I think it will probably be between us and Bridgewater for that fifth spot – I’d hope that with the quality of our recruits, that will hold us in good stead,” Mitrovic said.
Those that have made their way to Maiden Gully include Macorna midfield jet Jessi Lampi, along with St Kilda City’s Joel Dwyer and former Kerang young gun Hamish Rookes, with all three set to spend considerable time in the middle.
The Eagles have improved the quality of their midfield group with the three new additions, which will help them make the most of the dominance their ruckman Chris Howgate provides.
The other area of concern that Mitrovic clearly tried to address through his club’s recruiting was up forward, especially with the departure of last season’s leading goal kicker Matthew Gray.
Jason Butty comes to the club as a proven goal kicker and will provide the Eagles’ engine room with a strong target up forward, while Jack Gallaher is a small forward from up north, who can also run through the midfield when required.
“At the moment, we’re not very big – we’re lacking a few key position players, so we’re going to have to rely on winning the contested ball,” Mitrovic said.
“We’re just going to have to possess the footy and work it around, we can’t just be kicking it long down the line because that won’t suit our structure – it’s definitely going to be win the contested ball and run the footy game plan for us this season.”
