By Paul Pickering
WHILE their Division One neighbours may have generated more hype during the pre-season, Greater Dandenong’s Division Two and Three clubs will be looking to stamp their mark on the Southern Football League this weekend.
Dingley and Lyndale will carry the torch for the municipality in Division Two, while the Doveton Eagles, Dandy Demons and Sandown Cobras go into battle in Division Three.
@BT Sub Sport News:Division Two
Dingley was denied a fairytale finish to its debut season in the Southern Football League last year, falling agonisingly short of Springvale Districts in an epic Division Two grand final.
Many have tipped the Dingoes to go one better in 2008.
Crucially, Dingley has secured the services of Adam Quinn for another year.
Quinn gives the Dingoes leadership on and off the field, and you can just about bank on another 100-goal season from the prolific full-forward.
But while there is stability up forward, Dingley will be driven by a new-look engine room this year.
Ball-magnet Steve DeBolfo has left for Darwin to play cricket, while inside midfielder Jai Smith has also parted ways with the club.
Quinn expects boom recruit Daniel Turcarelli (Sandringham) and returning Dingoes Steven Vinen (Rye) and Cameron Maine to play key roles alongside Clinton Brooks and the Lavars brothers in his new on-ball division.
There is no doubt the Dingoes acquitted themselves admirably in the finals last year, but Quinn believes another season together will see a more resilient group in 2008.
“I think we’ll just be better for the experience,” he said. “Last year, the club was rebounding off a poor season (in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League), but we’ve got a lot more confidence now. It (the finals) was a great learning curve for the guys, and hopefully we’ll handle ourselves better in those close games this year.”
Quinn expects to be battling it out with divisional newcomer Heatherton (from Division One), Oakleigh Districts and Caulfield for the premiership this season.
Meanwhile, Lyndale will be hard-pressed to break into that top bracket after finishing eighth in 2007.
The Pumas, led by second-year coach Matt Caples, have retained much the same list as last year, but will be relying on the development of its young players to take the next step.
Lyndale hosts Oakleigh District at Barry Powell Reserve this Saturday, while the Dingoes travel to Ashwood to face the Magpies.
@BT Sub Sport News:Division Three
Doveton has already registered its first win for the season, after knocking off Cerberus by four goals on Saturday.
The Eagles were scheduled to meet the Navy boys in round two, but Anzac Day weekend commitments would have depleted the Dogs’ line-up. The signs were good for new coach Barry Giddens, who admitted that he is unsure what to expect from a list that bears little resemblance to the side that finished fourth last year.
Giddens is hopeful that an influx of youth will stand the Eagles in good stead for the future.
“We’re still a very young side, we’ve picked up another 25 young guys, so this year is about getting some experience mixed in with all those kids,” he said.
In the meantime, the introduction of towering ruckman Hugh Mollar (Dandenong) and spearhead Ricky Ramsdale (Langwarrin) – who booted six goals on Saturday – has had a more immediate impact.
The Eagles have also picked up Daryl Thomas from Doveton’s MPNFL side and former Skye coach Mark Mussared.
Meanwhile, dour defender Adrian Piccioli has left the Eagles to join last year’s senior coach Mick Hawken at the Dandy Demons.
In fact, Dandy has been a popular destination over the summer, with the Demons scoring a series of important recruiting coups.
New coach Steve Kent will be assisted by Springvale Districts veteran Glenn Kemp, who has brought four players with him to Greaves Reserve.
Most notably, Kemp – who will be an on-field general down back – has been joined by intimidating ruck/forward Darin ‘Big Show’ Joyce and skilful on-baller Shane Paul.
Kent believes those recruits will offset the loss of David Black (Croydon), who proved to be a revelation last year in finishing second in the league best-and-fairest despite missing almost a third of the season.
“We’ve finished fifth the last three years, so we’ve set a goal to play finals this season,” Kent said. “Having the blokes from Springvale Districts around, and watching the way they train and conduct themselves, you can already tell the difference. It gives blokes confidence.”
Finally, new Sandown coach Frank Yaman will be hoping a fresh young list can guide the Cobras out of the Division Three cellar.
After facing the prospect of folding at one stage during the summer, Yaman and president Lew Short have set about rebuilding the club.
And with the exception of a handful of returning players, Sandown will field an entirely new team this season.
“It’s exciting and also challenging,” Yaman said of the club’s new beginning. “I don’t really know what the quality is going to be like, but our practice-match form has been encouraging and we have set the goal of being a competitive team.”
Among those expected to have an impact are probable captain Shane Cossik and Aaron Powel (both from De La Salle), while Daniel McMahon (Lyndale) will be asked to hold down a key defensive post. Sandown begins its season again with a trip to Cerberus on Saturday, while Dandy will host Doveton at Greaves Reserve.
