The Scarecrow
6th March 2005, 16:55
From The Mercury
By David Stockdale
MATHEW Armstrong is going to hate me for saying this -- the Devils
have put together a list capable of winning this year's VFL premiership.
OK, coach, clubs do get talked up pre-season after they've recruited
well and look a million dollars on the training track.
And, yes, we will miss the bash and crash up forward of big Trent
Bartlett, who is giving his panel-beaten body a rest in the hope of
returning in 2006.
But importantly the Devils have had a good taste of what additional
physical and mental demands are required to succeed in finals by finishing
third last season -- one win shy of making the grand final -- and sixth in
2003.
The preliminary final touch-up Sandringham gave us underlined our
weaknesses -- a lack of big-man power, inside toughness on-ball, and a go-to
forward.
But there's a lot to like about the grunt and handling of the
2005-model Devils.
That rival clubs have rejected our bid to buy home games off them is
a good barometer of the increasing respect in which Armstrong's Army is now
held.
Certainly the playing list looks stronger where the game is usually
won and lost -- in the heavy traffic out of the middle -- with Ben Beams,
Ian Callinan, Brett and Matthew Geappen, Ken Hall, Luke Shackleton and so
on.
The acquisition of 197cm Nick Barling from North Ballarat, along
with Nathan Grima and 205cm Markham Johnson should help guard against the
old problem of the Devils getting shorter the longer the game goes.
Up forward the Devils will look for a spread of goals, given they
don't have someone who can regularly kick four of five. So expect to see the
likes of Justin Plapp, Shackleton, Matthew Drury, Barling, Johnson and Brett
Geappen to be rotated up there.
The back half will be more settled, with Matthew Jovanovic, the
human bullet Ben Atkin and Ben Careless again pivotal to its success.
Last but by no means least, having a $1.1 million sponsor such as
Federal Hotels gives the Devils the ability to be more professional both on
and off the field.
By David Stockdale
MATHEW Armstrong is going to hate me for saying this -- the Devils
have put together a list capable of winning this year's VFL premiership.
OK, coach, clubs do get talked up pre-season after they've recruited
well and look a million dollars on the training track.
And, yes, we will miss the bash and crash up forward of big Trent
Bartlett, who is giving his panel-beaten body a rest in the hope of
returning in 2006.
But importantly the Devils have had a good taste of what additional
physical and mental demands are required to succeed in finals by finishing
third last season -- one win shy of making the grand final -- and sixth in
2003.
The preliminary final touch-up Sandringham gave us underlined our
weaknesses -- a lack of big-man power, inside toughness on-ball, and a go-to
forward.
But there's a lot to like about the grunt and handling of the
2005-model Devils.
That rival clubs have rejected our bid to buy home games off them is
a good barometer of the increasing respect in which Armstrong's Army is now
held.
Certainly the playing list looks stronger where the game is usually
won and lost -- in the heavy traffic out of the middle -- with Ben Beams,
Ian Callinan, Brett and Matthew Geappen, Ken Hall, Luke Shackleton and so
on.
The acquisition of 197cm Nick Barling from North Ballarat, along
with Nathan Grima and 205cm Markham Johnson should help guard against the
old problem of the Devils getting shorter the longer the game goes.
Up forward the Devils will look for a spread of goals, given they
don't have someone who can regularly kick four of five. So expect to see the
likes of Justin Plapp, Shackleton, Matthew Drury, Barling, Johnson and Brett
Geappen to be rotated up there.
The back half will be more settled, with Matthew Jovanovic, the
human bullet Ben Atkin and Ben Careless again pivotal to its success.
Last but by no means least, having a $1.1 million sponsor such as
Federal Hotels gives the Devils the ability to be more professional both on
and off the field.