NNW UNITED
PROFILE
After a breakthrough preliminary final appearance last season, the young Demons will be hungry for more success in 2024, according to new coach Jason Murphy.
After a breakout 2023 campaign, where Nyah-Nyah West United rose to prominence on the back of an exciting, all-out attack game plan that shocked opposition teams into submission, Murphy is confident the Central Murray FNL will see more of the same this season, as the club looks to refine their brand of football even further.
“The way the boys have attacked the pre-season has proven to me that they don’t want to fall away and that last year wasn’t just a once-off,” Murphy said.
“We don’t want to put a ceiling on our season, to be honest, if we get the chance, we want to win it all.
“Our speed will once again be our biggest asset, it’s something that we’re really promoting as a club.
“We had our coaches meeting the other night and we’re trying to implement this attacking style across all our junior teams and the reserves, we want it to be a brand that our clubs known for.”
Murphy comes to NNW United following the departure of long-time coach Corey Daniels and will join forces with Nick O’Neill, who coached alongside Daniels last season. But while they were one of the surprise packets last season, that element of surprise is no longer there, with their opposition now well aware of the brand the Demons like to deploy.
But as with all game plans, Murphy said his club’s style will continue to evolve, with the Demons set to be more organised in defence, while continue to play with flair in attack.
“We want to move the game forward and keep coming at the opposition, everyone knows the way we want to play now, there’s no secrets there,” Murphy said.
“It suits our playing group to play that way and take the game on, but I guess what we’ve been trying to do this off-season is organise the chaos a little bit.
“We’ve just been working on a few different structures and nailing down our press and so on, so there’s been more of a focus on organising the chaos and keeping everything a little bit more predictable to us, but not the opposition.
“We nailed down the way we wanted to move the footy last year, so that training hasn’t gone away, but our defensive structures have been a real focus over the summer.”
NNW United will lose top end players Jarrod Stokes and Hassan Ahmat-Watkins, both of whom were influential through the midfield and up forward last season, while key defender Dean Harrop has also left for Murrabit.
While the departures of three quality players would ordinarily impact most clubs, the Demons have secured three ready-made replacements, with onballers Jordan and Lucas Iudica set to boost the Demons’ midfield, while the return of key defender Cal Dobbin from a knee injury will help offset the loss of Harrop.
Undoubtedly NNW United’s biggest recruit is dual century goalkicker Brandyn Grenfell, who will join the Demons after back-to-back premierships with Marong, and looks set to provide his new club with the key marking target up forward that they desperately needed last season.
FROM THE COACH
“We’re not going to put a ceiling on our season, we obviously finished off pretty well last year and we want to make sure we continue to move forward and hopefully go a few steps further.”
IN’S & OUT’S
IN’S
Brandyn Grenfell (Marong)
Jordan Iudica (Kyneton)
Lucas Iudica (Kyneton)
Jackson Hopkins (Port Douglas Crocs)
OUT’S
Dean Harrop (Murrabit)
Joseph Violi (Huntly)
Jarrod Stokes
Hassan Ahmat-Watkins
Corey Daniels
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2024
Hopefully more of the same as in 2023. There’s no doubt the Demons were the most exciting team to watch last year, with their quick, attacking brand of football breathing new life into the Central Murray competition.
With a similar squad, minus key players Jarrod Stokes and Hassan Ahmat-Watkins, it’s expected that NNW United should once again be thereabouts come finals time.
The addition of key forward Brandyn Grenfell is a huge plus, while the recruitment of the Iudica brothers should help add depth to their midfield. The only query is whether they have enough top level talent to match it with the absolute best sides.
KEY PLAYER
Joel Walsh – Won his second club best and fairest after returning to the Demons last season. Walsh’s form form across half back was one of the factors in his teams rise to preliminary finalists last season, with his untimely hamstring strain a key reason for NNW United’s capitulation to eventual premiers Kerang.
Has developed into one of the league’s preeminent intercept defenders, with his ability to read the play making him one of the Demons key players. Strong through the hips with a booming right foot, it wouldn’t surprise to see Walsh run through the midfield on occasions.
BIG IMPROVER
Liam White – Heading into his second season of senior footy for NNW United, White looks set to explode after a big pre-season. Played 10 senior matches in 2023, including a five goal haul in round 1 against Koondrook-Barham, before falling out of favour late in the season.
An energetic forward who can push up the ground, White will be one of the main beneficiaries of having key marking target Brandyn Grenfell in the Demons line-up.
THE BURNING QUESTION
What affect will the new O’Neill/Murphy coaching team have on the Demons game style?
One of the reasons for NNW United’s success in 2023 was their fast, attacking game style, that was built around taking risks and playing on at every opportunity under Corey Daniels and Nick O’Neill.
It was a game plan that perfectly suited their team, with several clubs coming undone by the Demons speed from the contest and outside run.
But with new joint coach Jason Murphy taking over from Daniels, will NNW United continue to attack and take the game on – or will they implement a more structured style of game plan?
Early signs throughout the Demons practice matches would indicate a combination of both, with a more organised defensive structure set to combine with the same fast, attacking style of football going forward.
What they lose in being more organised behind the ball remains to be seen, but they will certainly be exciting to watch.
NNW UNITED PREDICTED BEST 22
B. Cal Dobbin – Joel Campbell – Mitch Grinham
HB. Brady Davidson – Joel Walsh – Jaydyn Stirling
C. Brayden Bigham – Ethan Saville – Campbell Everitt
HF. Charlie Boulton – Nick O’Neill – Lucas Iudica
F. Riley Daniels – Brandyn Grenfell – Dom Gallo
R. Alex Erlandson – Jordan Iudica – Kayne Davidson
INT. Liam White – Jarrod Skinner – Zack Threadgold – Nic Threadgold
