By ADEM SARICAOGLU
IMPROVED depth will be the key to Melton Centrals’ push for a return to finals football in 2014.
The Blues finished seventh in the Riddell District Football League and were only denied a finals berth by percentage.
As it turns out, Melton Centrals found itself right in the middle of football’s no man’s land in 2013 – good against the battlers, but not so consistent against the contenders.
Coach Brian Wheelahan admits 2013 was a bit of a letdown after his side showed plenty of promise the previous year.
“In 2012 we had a taste of finals and the place was up and about and buzzing, so (2013) was a little bit disappointing,” Wheelahan said.
“There were three or four games that sort of bit us on the backside – games where we were either up or where we should’ve won, and upon reflection that was probably the difference.
“But we’re really buoyant about next year.”
Centrals has already welcomed Anthony Rhodes, who will coach the club’s first under-18s team in 11 years, while Wheelahan himself is expecting to inject some added experience while retaining most of his playing list from 2013.
Specifically, while nothing has yet been confirmed, Wheelahan hopes to add seven new recruits to his playing stocks in a bid to increase the Blues’ finals credentials for next year.
“We fell down in a couple of areas all over the ground, to be honest, so we’d like to think the blokes we hopefully will recruit will add a new dimension in those areas,” Wheelahan said.
“Whether it be stopping an opposition key forward or a bit of extra run in the midfield – we know we lack pace and we got found out on the bigger grounds, so hopefully we can inject a couple of players across the wing or half forward.
“I guess the big emphasis will be on the weight of numbers.”
Wheelahan said the coming pre-season, due to begin later this month, would be a long, hard summer for his troops, as a significant improvement in fitness levels will be the other key factor in the Blues’ 2014 finals hopes.
“We had some fantastic halves of footy and even three quarters of footy, and a couple of times we were three or four goals up and got over-run, so it will be a pretty intense pre-season based on fitness,” Wheelahan said.
“That’s basically where we’re looking at – the fitness, stoppages and making sure we’re coming out and playing the duration of games.
“We know and have shown that a half of our best is good enough to mix it with anyone.
“It’s just maintaining that consistency for four quarters and if we can do that, then I’m sure we’ll win more games than we lose.”
