What to expect in Pre-season training & choosing a club

[Rummy]

Hi everyone, I’m 31 years of age and even though I haven’t played footy since I was about 15, I’ve still got a decent kick and am thinking of trying out for a reserves team probably in the Victorian Nepean league

I’m a short arse at around 170 cm’s and so am looking to lose some of my 77kg weight (of which very little is muscle). I know my chances of getting a game are slim, but I was just wondering if to give myself any reasonable sort of chance of getting into a team what kind of distance/running time I should be aiming for?

I’ve never done a pre-season and so have absolutely no idea what kind of training will be required, distance/sprints time etc, but I am keen to do the hard work necessary and if someone could be helpful enough in giving me a few pointers and of what to expect that’d be great.

Fortunately due to my home location being in Cranbourne South I can join either some of the Casey, Peninsula or Nepean league clubs, and so am looking to join a club where I can gain the most game time (in the reserves) though after looking around at some clubs websites, a lot seem to have 65+ players for only 44 positions. Do clubs share some of the game time around for the reserve players, or are all the clubs in every league cutthroat and as a result there are always guys who even if they’re decent may not get a game or two all year? Or is one league or club/s better than others in terms of sharing it around?

If anyone could share their thoughts and advise for me, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Toothless Feral]

Try Hampton Park - Close to Cranbourne and there wont be a problem getting a game..... if you're fully committed and get fit enough you will be a chance of playing ones.

 

[Rummy]

Try Hampton Park - Close to Cranbourne and there wont be a problem getting a game..... if you're fully committed and get fit enough you will be a chance of playing ones.

Yeah I had a quick look at the ladder for last year and noticed they didn’t fair too well with their senior and reserve sides copping a bit of a pounding each week. Hmm I guess I was hoping initially to join a team where I didn’t know that when I show up each time that we didn’t have any chance of winning. Oh well I guess that’s just the decision I’m going to have to make in terms of chances of getting more game time versus being in a moderate/partially successful side.

Sorry but I’ve got another question, if I was to train out with one particular club during the pre-season and if either after a few weeks or by the time it comes to the club registration stage and they tell me I’d be unlikely to get any/many games, is it common for players to try their luck at another club (that may be further down the ladder, like Hampton Park etc) and be allowed to start training with that other club? Or are even less successful sides only going to allow you on their list that year if you complete an entire pre-season with them and not just a partial one?

 

[MrNatural]

I am also from Cranbourne South and am also looking to join a club in the Casey Cardinia or Nepean leagues.
I have spent time playing at both Devon Meadows FC and Tooradin FC.
DM have struggled for a number of years to be competitive, but are generally always open to new recruits. Tooradin have been more successful of late, and again generally dont have endless players so are happy to take on new players.
Im looking to have a crack again at Tooradin over the pre season and see how i go.
Another club close by that might be worth a shot is Pearcedale.
No harm in checking out their websites and giving the coach/president a call and have a chat about the club and how theyre fairing

 

[Rummy]

I am also from Cranbourne South and am also looking to join a club in the Casey Cardinia or Nepean leagues.
I have spent time playing at both Devon Meadows FC and Tooradin FC.
DM have struggled for a number of years to be competitive, but are generally always open to new recruits. Tooradin have been more successful of late, and again generally dont have endless players so are happy to take on new players.
Im looking to have a crack again at Tooradin over the pre season and see how i go.
Another club close by that might be worth a shot is Pearcedale.
No harm in checking out their websites and giving the coach/president a call and have a chat about the club and how theyre fairing

So MrNatural can I ask why is it that you prefer Tooradin over Devon Meadows? (you can send me personal message perhaps if you feel it’s not best to openly state, and I’ll treat it with the utmost confidence)

I know that Tooradin are in the Casey league which I get the impression is considered to be of a slightly higher standard, though on top of this and as you correctly pointed out, their seniors finished 3rd in this division, and even though their reserves didn’t fare so well, I get the impression it’d still be hard to crack into the reserves team on a frequent basis.

Pearcedale and Devon Meadows are both close to me, though I was thinking of enquiring about DM firstly because they had a few more wins and is on the way home for me as opposed to having to travel that little bit further to Pearcedale, even though you’d think that I’d be more likely to get a game at Pearcedale considering that they finished lower the previous year. Hence why I’m also curious if players are able to switch clubs during the middle of the pre-season/before registration dates and it’s become a bit clearer if I’ll get any game time or not.


Thanks for the advice and even though I had only spoken to one of the clubs I might give each of them a call and see how interested they are in new recruits.

 

[MrNatural]

So MrNatural can I ask why is it that you prefer Tooradin over Devon Meadows? (you can send me personal message perhaps if you feel it’s not best to openly state, and I’ll treat it with the utmost confidence)

I know that Tooradin are in the Casey league which I get the impression is considered to be of a slightly higher standard, though on top of this and as you correctly pointed out, their seniors finished 3rd in this division, and even though their reserves didn’t fare so well, I get the impression it’d still be hard to crack into the reserves team on a frequent basis.

Pearcedale and Devon Meadows are both close to me, though I was thinking of enquiring about DM firstly because they had a few more wins and is on the way home for me as opposed to having to travel that little bit further to Pearcedale, even though you’d think that I’d be more likely to get a game at Pearcedale considering that they finished lower the previous year. Hence why I’m also curious if players are able to switch clubs during the middle of the pre-season/before registration dates and it’s become a bit clearer if I’ll get any game time or not.


Thanks for the advice and even though I had only spoken to one of the clubs I might give each of them a call and see how interested they are in new recruits.

I spent the majority of my junior and early senior football at Devon Meadows, but had a bad experience towards the end and decided it was best to part ways.
They have recently improved their finances and have redeveloped their facilities down at DM and look to be on the improve.
It's just a personal preference of mine not to return to the club.
As for Tooradin, i only played one season at the club, but they have left a lasting impression on me. Great bunch of blokes, great facilities and seem to going in the right direction on and off the field.
I think you should focus less on the win-loss ratio of the teams. Yes its great to be part of a winning team, but if you are just looking to have a kick on a Saturday, then its best to look for a club who will give you opportunities to play.
As for the actual pre-season, it can get tough, particularly if you havent experienced one before.
Expect time trials, beep test, circuits, hot days and hard work.
If you want to just take it easy, id suggest looking outside of the MPNFL.
I've played in the Southern Football League, and the standards are far lower, expecially in Div 3. The closest clubs would be Dandenong or Skye, and they generally have 3 senior teams that you can break into, rather than the 2 that the MPNFL teams have.

 

[Rummy]

Thanks for the advice MrNatural

The pre-season should be interesting as I just really have no idea how to gauge if I’m any good (or just bad) and at what level I should be playing. I guess I’ll just try out either with DM or Pearcedale firstly and ask for an early assessment and if they don’t think I’m not up to the standard required for MPNFL. I might then try out for the Dandenong footy club in the SFL league as you suggested, because they’re in division 3 as opposed to Skye who are apparently close to premiership favourites in division 2.

And Thanks again cause I wouldn’t of thought of looking that little bit further out, and neither did I did realise that the SFL league had so many divisions, which also groups clubs of roughly equivalent skill together as opposed to the MPNFL which plays clubs against each other purely by grouping them into locations.

I’ve also tried looking for youtube footage of different clubs to both get a rough idea of the standard of skills expected but also player reactions/movements when/where to run to etc, in addition to knowing how much you can get away with in contests without giving away free kicks, however I’m not having much luck in finding anything other than a few short snippets of the senior teams competing in grand finals. Would anyone know of anywhere I could get a watch a few games etc

Thanks for the replies

 

[MrNatural]

Thanks for the advice MrNatural

The pre-season should be interesting as I just really have no idea how to gauge if I’m any good (or just bad) and at what level I should be playing. I guess I’ll just try out either with DM or Pearcedale firstly and ask for an early assessment and if they don’t think I’m not up to the standard required for MPNFL. I might then try out for the Dandenong footy club in the SFL league as you suggested, because they’re in division 3 as opposed to Skye who are apparently close to premiership favourites in division 2.

And Thanks again cause I wouldn’t of thought of looking that little bit further out, and neither did I did realise that the SFL league had so many divisions, which also groups clubs of roughly equivalent skill together as opposed to the MPNFL which plays clubs against each other purely by grouping them into locations.

I’ve also tried looking for youtube footage of different clubs to both get a rough idea of the standard of skills expected but also player reactions/movements when/where to run to etc, in addition to knowing how much you can get away with in contests without giving away free kicks, however I’m not having much luck in finding anything other than a few short snippets of the senior teams competing in grand finals. Would anyone know of anywhere I could get a watch a few games etc

Thanks for the replies

I personally wouldn't bother looking for footage.
About the only footage you might find of MPNFL footy would be a massive brawl between Cranny and Berwick some years ago.
The MPNFL is far higher in standards compared to SFL.
If you just wanna have a kick on satdy, id suggest going to a club like Dandenong, or even Sandown, who have 4 teams to play in, so unless youre a complete gimp, you will get a crack.
But if you wanna take your footy semi serious, then have a crack at a MPNFL club.
The MPNFL is far more professional in regards to training requirements, umpiring standards, facilities and players in the seniors are paid players.
I've had my time in both camps, and they both have their advantages and disadvantages, just gotta weight it up and decide what you want.

 

[AlliesCoach]

I thought I would throw this up for anyone that may be heading down our way or interested in travelling down with our blokes who travel from Melbourne & surrounding areas;

The Allies in the Alberton Football League are now actively recruiting for the following key positions for the 2013 Season and beyond;

2 x Key Forwards
1 x HF/FP who is a noted goal kicker (30+ per season)
2 x Attacking Midfielders
1 x Ruckman
2 x Key Defenders
1 x Running HBF

We are looking for quality players and people who are not afraid of a challenge and prepared to work hard to play to their own individual potential and play an important role for the team and club. While no club irrespective of what they did last year can guarantee where they might finish what we can guarantee is a high level of coaching and a next level approach to performance analysis and feedback to develop the individual and group to a level that will only be limited by their own level of commitment and application.

Our aim is to not just compete in 2013 but put as good a side on the paddock as we possibly can with a view to play finals football and again while their are no guarantees we will without doubt sneak up on more than a few sides if we can put the wish list together.

While a few clubs and individuals may can the approach of posting this on a forum thread, lets remember that all clubs actively recruit, advertise and target players. I am simply advertising in every possible medium I can and I am sure there will be a number of true football people on here that may be able to assist and hopefully the word spreads to as many players looking for a team & club that will value and respect their contribution along with making the commitment a worthwhile proposition on a personal level.

Happy to answer any questions online or offline and I am looking forward to 2013.

 

[motorvinnie]

DWWW struggling for key players.. Where's Royce vardy? Keysborough is a good club where desperate for players in the 2s.. Great club with the best ground in the mpnfl. Always need a few ring ins to fill a few spots.. Would be made well
Welcome.. Play in the Casey league 20 mins from cranbourne and Devon meadows.. Coach this year is Chris Bryan from carl/collingwood

 

[Fish 20]

The Bentleigh Football Club who competes in Southern Football League Division 2 is seeking expressions of interest for the position of Reserves Coach (playing or non playing) for the 2013 season.
You will be working closely with newly appointed Bentleigh senior coach & former Frankston VFL assistant & Reserves coach Brad Canavan in your role. You will be in charge of a great list with a mixture of experienced footballers & fantastic up & coming youth who have been apart of Premierships in 2009, 2011 & 2012 & Runners Up in 2010, who will strive for another in 2013.

A Position / Role Description and a Club Information Package can be acquired by Inboxing me for further details

All enquiries will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.

 

[MrNatural]

Keysborough is a good club where desperate for players in the 2s.. Great club with the best ground in the mpnfl.

Keysy best ground in MPNFL?
I've played on most of the grounds in the league and don't believe that ground is anywhere near the best. But its not the worst either

 

[bradrowe#32]

The surface at Keysy is really good, but the ground lacks atmosphere. I like Beacy's ground, but it always turns to a bog with a bit of drizzle.

 

[MrNatural]

The surface at Keysy is really good, but the ground lacks atmosphere. I like Beacy's ground, but it always turns to a bog with a bit of drizzle.

I played cricket at Beacy last week and the ground was in top notch condition. But yeah it turns to a bog in the winter

 

[bradrowe#32]

I played cricket at Beacy last week and the ground was in top notch condition. But yeah it turns to a bog in the winter

I wonder if they'll ever get their new ground (which is just over the road I think). They've been talking about that for awhile now.

 

[MrNatural]

I wonder if they'll ever get their new ground (which is just over the road I think). They've been talking about that for awhile now.

The grounds are taking shape as we speak. Not sure if that will be their main ground for footy or not though

 

[kneelo]

Hi everyone, I’m 31 years of age and even though I haven’t played footy since I was about 15, I’ve still got a decent kick and am thinking of trying out for a reserves team probably in the Victorian Nepean league

I’m a short arse at around 170 cm’s and so am looking to lose some of my 77kg weight (of which very little is muscle). I know my chances of getting a game are slim, but I was just wondering if to give myself any reasonable sort of chance of getting into a team what kind of distance/running time I should be aiming for?

I’ve never done a pre-season and so have absolutely no idea what kind of training will be required, distance/sprints time etc, but I am keen to do the hard work necessary and if someone could be helpful enough in giving me a few pointers and of what to expect that’d be great.

Fortunately due to my home location being in Cranbourne South I can join either some of the Casey, Peninsula or Nepean league clubs, and so am looking to join a club where I can gain the most game time (in the reserves) though after looking around at some clubs websites, a lot seem to have 65+ players for only 44 positions. Do clubs share some of the game time around for the reserve players, or are all the clubs in every league cutthroat and as a result there are always guys who even if they’re decent may not get a game or two all year? Or is one league or club/s better than others in terms of sharing it around?

If anyone could share their thoughts and advise for me, it would be greatly appreciated.

Look further afield than MPNFL

Try St Francis Xavier at Beaconsfield in the Ameteurs Good bunch of blokes with 2 new coaches. Or ellinbank league Nar Nar Goon always looking for players as well. Great club and will be made welcome.

 

[Rummy]

Look further afield than MPNFL

Try St Francis Xavier at Beaconsfield in the Ameteurs Good bunch of blokes with 2 new coaches. Or ellinbank league Nar Nar Goon always looking for players as well. Great club and will be made welcome.

wow, I'd never even heard of this league, though I'd never heard of the MPNFL 2 months ago either. Well I know I am if not very close to being the unfittest guy at the club Im training with at the moment, so if I think I wont be anything but a bench warmer I'll have to check it out. Though in your honest opinion would you consider the standard of football there to be higher, equal or lower than that of the MPNFL league?

 

[Fish 20]

wow, I'd never even heard of this league, though I'd never heard of the MPNFL 2 months ago either. Well I know I am if not very close to being the unfittest guy at the club Im training with at the moment, so if I think I wont be anything but a bench warmer I'll have to check it out. Though in your honest opinion would you consider the standard of football there to be higher, equal or lower than that of the MPNFL league?

The league that St Francis Xavier compete in is VAFA division 3 which is effectively E Grade. The standard is much much lower than MPNFL as no-one gets paid in the Ammos. I haven't played against them for 3 years, but at that time they were definitley looking for players as they were a relatively new club.

One down side for you could be that they compete against teams located on the other side of the city like Old Westbourne (Truganina) La Trobe Uni (Bundoora), USHOB (the zoo in Parkville), Aquinas (Ringwood) South Mornington, Kew, Richmond, Swinburne Uni (Hawthorn) Elsternwick, Albert Park x 2 teams. Living in Cranbourne South it will be a lot of travelling & will eat into the fuel bill quite a bit.

Choice is yours though

 

[kneelo]

wow, I'd never even heard of this league, though I'd never heard of the MPNFL 2 months ago either. Well I know I am if not very close to being the unfittest guy at the club Im training with at the moment, so if I think I wont be anything but a bench warmer I'll have to check it out. Though in your honest opinion would you consider the standard of football there to be higher, equal or lower than that of the MPNFL league?

The Ellinbank league is inbetween the standard of MPNFL and Amateurs. Travelling to Warragul (1 hr) and taking in sides like Koo wee rup, Lang Lang, Nyora, Nar Nar Goon and garfield to name a few.

St Francis are definitely looking for players as are Nar Nar Goon.

 

[kneelo]

Their new ground is built.
Actually 2 new ovals and the 2 storey state of the art clubrooms are getting close to lock up stage as we speak.

 

[Pottski]

I'd suggest Southern Football League if you're just getting back into it - there's a few clubs there which would suit someone getting back into the game.

Carrum Patterson Lakes has just started its first pre-season in the SFL Division 3. Brand new side, so would be keen for anyone to join. Probably only 10-15 minute drive for you at worst from Cranbourne South.

Hallam/Endeavour Hills - Same idea at Carrum Patterson Lakes, lower standard competition in Division 3 SFL, just a bit further to drive. Both in their infancy, 2nd/3rd year respectively, so new players would help build the culture there. Furthest you have to drive out to in that league would be Ashwood or Mount Waverley, so extremely close geographically.

Lyndale has also got a fair few spots up for offer and as a Dandenong based team, it's still not too far for you to travel.

VAFA is a better option for people closer to the city IMO as Beaconsfield is the furthest geographically in that league. You could be driving to Yarra Valley, Elsternwick or any of the old boys schools in the inner city on any given week. Long way to drive from Cranbourne.

 

[MrNatural]

Carrum Patterson Lakes has just started its first pre-season in the SFL Division 3. Brand new side, so would be keen for anyone to join. Probably only 10-15 minute drive for you at worst from Cranbourne South.

Anyone know much about them yet?
Im looking for a new club down the pennisula way, would like to start it fresh ,what better than to do it at a new club

 

[Rummy]

Thanks for the advice Pottski, at the moment I'm really challenging myself hard in trying out for DM as I want to get really fit again, and these guys do go hard at it, but Im slowly getting more and more confident even if I am pushing my old bones beyond their limits through sheer force of will, though now I just wonder how my kicking/marking/decision making will hold up at this level come game day. In any event they really are great bunch of guys and have even let a hack like me feel really welcome, so I think I'll see how Im going come March or the first few practice matches and see if I need to be realistic in my playing ability and try out at a Carrum Patterson Lakes or Dandenong, Lyndale, St Francis etc, which would be a shame cause I am liking it there. Thanks for all the advice so far and if this sadly doesnt work out I now know what other opportunities there might be. Hopefully its also of great benefit to others out there like myself who probably think they're a bit too past it and like me had no idea of what sort of leagues, clubs and divisions are out there. Also good luck in your search MrNatural

 

[jake_tha_peg]

Thanks for the advice Pottski, at the moment I'm really challenging myself hard in trying out for DM as I want to get really fit again, and these guys do go hard at it, but Im slowly getting more and more confident even if I am pushing my old bones beyond their limits through sheer force of will, though now I just wonder how my kicking/marking/decision making will hold up at this level come game day. In any event they really are great bunch of guys and have even let a hack like me feel really welcome, so I think I'll see how Im going come March or the first few practice matches and see if I need to be realistic in my playing ability and try out at a Carrum Patterson Lakes or Dandenong, Lyndale, St Francis etc, which would be a shame cause I am liking it there. Thanks for all the advice so far and if this sadly doesnt work out I now know what other opportunities there might be. Hopefully its also of great benefit to others out there like myself who probably think they're a bit too past it and like me had no idea of what sort of leagues, clubs and divisions are out there. Also good luck in your search MrNatural

If it doesn't work out you could do worse than take up umpiring. If you want to get a good fitness base and try the next year to play again you will suprise yourself what a good fitness base you will build up. Plenty of blokes run the boundary or blow the whistle for the juniors on a Sunday and still play on the Saturday or vice versa. The bucks come in handy too - I zip over to Bali every year from the dollars i earn and I still remain involved in our great game.