By Jonty Ralphsmith
Last year’s Southern Football Netball League Division Two runner-up Doveton have leveled up in several areas as it again looks like it will be a team to beat in 2023.
The Doves have added several recruits, headlined by two big names and increased their fleet of foot in the midfield.
In also retaining the core of the group that got within a kick of the flag last year, the Doves have expanded their depth under experienced player-coach Michael Cardamone.
The coach indicated that the heartbreak of 2022 was moreso apparent in the subconscious of the squad than explicitly spoken about in preseason.
“What happened, happened for a reason last year and it’s not the result we wanted, but you just get back on the horse and have to do a lot of work just to make finals, let alone a grand final,” Cardamone said.
“We’ve got four blocks we are concentrating on with East Malvern round one and East Brighton round two starting us off, and we’ll let everything else play out after that, but the fire is 100 per cent in the belly.
“I think everyone at the club has the same goal, (but) we’re not going to talk about it because there’s so much water to go under the bridge before we get to the halfway mark, let alone playing finals.”
PATTO
He’s the talk of the town.
The arrival of former test cricketer Jimmy Pattinson to Doveton has generated plenty of hype ahead of 2023.
Pattinson, a powerfully built athlete touted for the big time from a young age, played 40 internationals for Australia between 2011-2020 as a fast bowler.
Now 32-years-old, he enters the local footy scene wanting to have fun and Cardamone is putting no pressure on him, but his presence will no doubt attract plenty of eyeballs.
Injuring himself in the local cricket season, he only resumed full training two weeks ago but has been keen to get back into it since the start of preseason.
“He’s brought so much energy to the group that, when he’s on the training track, everyone stands a bit taller and he makes everyone laugh,” Cardamone said.
“I understand there will be a bit of hype around Patto so it’s definitely exciting, but I just want him to have fun. Thousands of people over the years have dissected his cricket and his body but if he has fun he will be dangerous up forward.
“I don’t expect him to kick 50-60 goals, it is just about making a contest and if he can get on the end of three or four each week I’d be rapt.
“I’m just looking forward to having a big body that is going to make defenders have sleepless nights, knowing they are going to have to man up on him on Saturday.”
THE OTHER BIG NAME
With Pattinson’s arrival, the return of Michael Henry to the club has, to some degree, flown under the radar.
Henry didn’t play in 2022 so may be eased in by Doveton, but if he can get up-and-going, he’ll be among the most damaging players in the team.
“It’s exciting to know I have someone with a lot of class in there, he’s a little bit older but he’s had a fantastic preseason and looks fit as anything, so he’s ready to go,” Cardamone said.
“If he needs a rest every now and again we will do that as well, so we’ll take each week as it comes with him.”
RUCK WATCH
It’s interesting to note that the Doves recruited Matt Waldon.
The club possesses Dylan Chapman, a player widely seen as the best ruck in the Division 2 competition.
He played as a solo ruck through most of 2022, with Max Shephard giving him a chop-out at stages within games.
Cardamone suggested that Pattinson could play a similar role in 2022, but there is also the potential for a secondary ruck to play.
Waldon will be knocking the door down, as will young Matt Merrilees, whose development has caught the eye.
The Doves played Chapman as a forward in a practice match and they liked what they saw, as he brought his ability to compete to the airways in attack.
It was also a strong hint that they might play two rucks early in 2023 – and that recipe may just make the physical Chapman even harder to beat.
DEPTH
By effectively adding more best 22 capable players than they lost, the Doves have naturally improved their depth ahead of 2023.
Last year, Cardamone put the number of men who could play a role in the seniors at 30-32.
This year it is closer to 40.
As well, by not getting an under-19s team on the park for 2023, it has allowed players such as Will Major, Brodie Howie, Deekon Stapleton and recruit Nik Hibbert’s development as senior footballers to be fast-tracked.
All are expected to play senior footy in 2023.
Howie, coming off an ACL injury that ended his 2022 prematurely, is the one generating most excitement.
The forward has played two practice matches, including one in the reserves, where he looked a class above.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on a 19-year-old kid but I could see him being a 200-game player for Doveton,” Cardamone said, referencing his professionalism.
“He has put on six or seven kilograms of muscle and put himself in a great position to now compete fully with the big boys. He’s definitely thickened out around the hips and upper body.”
Perhaps the counter to the argument of increased depth is the leadership hole Matt Stapleton’s retirement leaves.
While he remains involved as director of football, his voice on-field will need to be replaced.
Shannon Henwood and Harley Primrose are the co-captains in 2023.
ADDING PACE
Local footy’s about contested footy.
It’s the oldest cliché in the book.
Led by Jake Basa and Luke Daidone, Doveton had plenty of hardened midfielders in 2022.
If there was one area they could sometimes get found wanting, it was their speed.
There’s a few ingredients Cardamone is confident he can add to the midfield in 2023, to allow them to use their big ground well.
“Aaron Johns and Ricky Johnson will go through there with a bit of pace, Cam Williamson has had the best preseason he’s had in six, seven years winning time trials,” the coach said.
“He’s got every skill in the book and now that his fitness has gone to another level, it gives me that option that he will play a lot of midfield minutes.
“We think that leg speed will take our game to another level.”
Doveton Fixture
Round 1: Saturday 15 April v East Malvern (away)
Round 2: Saturday 22 April v East Brighton (away)
Round 3: Saturday 29 April v Murrumbeena (home)
Round 4: Saturday 6 May v Hampton Park (away)
Round 5: Saturday 13 May v Highett (home)
Round 6: Saturday 20 May v Skye (away)
Round 7: Saturday 27 May v Caulfield (home)
Round 8: Saturday 3 June v Keysborough (away)
Round 9: Saturday 17 June v Black Rock (home)
Round 10: Saturday 24 June v East Malvern (home)
Round 11: Saturday 1 July v East Brighton (home)
Round 12: Saturday 8 July v Murrumbeena (away)
Round 13: Saturday 15 July v Hampton Park (home)
Round 14: Saturday 22 July v Highett (away)
Round 15: Saturday 29 July v Skye (home)
Round 16: Saturday 5 August v Caulfield (away)
Round 17: Saturday 12 August v Keysborough (home)
Round 18: Saturday 19 August v Black Rock (away)
