By Jonty Ralphsmith
Injuries were the stench that Southern Football Netball League Division 2 club Doveton couldn’t rinse in 2023.
Going one better than last season felt a tall task from preseason, when East Brighton recruited well, which ultimately propelled it to a comfortable premiership victory.
But Doveton welcomed back a series of old faces, with the hope they could be managed through the home-and-away season, before being unleashed in finals.
The old band was back together in the preliminary final, with Michael Henry, Will Smith and Matt Stapleton all following skipper Shannon Henwood out for combat against Murrumbeena.
But that core group made for an old demographic in 2023, which came back to bite them as players missing games caused a lack of continuity.
The Doves would go on to lose that game comfortably, with the four injuries suffered in the first half symbolic of the way the season panned out under outgoing coach Michael Cardamone.
“I still feel like our best was good enough we just unfortunately fell short,” Cardamone said.
“You live and die by the sword and unfortunately we probably weren’t fit and healthy enough at the right time of the year.
“We rushed them back for the finals and we were pretty close to fully fit on paper – we probably had two missing from our best side every week – but they probably weren’t as fit or healthy as they needed to be playing finals football.
“The injury toll was tough but that’s just how the cookie crumbles.
“We definitely didn’t hit our best football in 2023.
“I believe the best football we played was in the qualifying final and elimination final last year where we hit our straps.
“Everything clicked and we played really well.
“The squad we put out on the day this year was still generally good enough to get the job done, but when you’re coming up against your East Brightons and Murrumbeenas and you’ve got four or five missing every week, it becomes a lot tougher.
“You start relying on a few experienced guys too much and eventually after 18 rounds, your body starts to get tired.”
Doveton won just one of its first four games of 2023 before going on a seven-game winning streak which contained a victory over premiers East Brighton, the Vampires only loss of the season.
It was unsurprising that Chapman’s return in round 5 coincided with the turnaround of form, but he finished the season banged up as sides targeted the Doveton barometer.
The club had planned to use him in tandem with another ruck this season, which would also have aided the small forward-line, but various reasons prevented that from ever materialising.
Another unforeseen issue which plagued the club this season was Robinson Reserve being out-of-action all season, which became a major discussion point early in the season.
The rise of Ricky Johnson and Brodie Howie were two major positives for a club lacking a junior program to help organic rejuvenation.
Johnson finished second in the league best and fairest count, building on the platform he provided himself last year after a big preseason, and Howie’s first season of senior footy justified the hype that he could be a long-term player.
A tough midfield had sides preparing for a bruising contest when they came up against Doveton, but it at times lacked speed.
As well as a quick midfielder, the Doves will be on the hunt for a full forward, lacking a bailout option down the line or key target inside 50 this season, which put too much pressure on goal-sneak Cam Williamson.
After having eight mainstays who averaged more than a goal a game in 2022, the Doves had just four in 2023.
