FOR the second straight year, Werribee Districts has lost a number of quality players in the Victorian Amateur Football Association off-season. However, president Rod Harrington is confident his club still has what it takes to match it with the competition’s elite.
The Tigers will be without brothers Brent and Adam Morrow in 2013 who have both left for work reasons while Troy Anderson has moved to the Geelong and Districts Football League.
The club’s three VFL listed players have also moved to Essendon District Football League club Maribyrnong Park.
“It would be accurate to say we have been hit around a little bit again this year after a bit of an exodus last year,” Harrington said.
“The number that moved on hasn’t been as much but we have definitely lost some quality players.
“Some guys have gone to other clubs, guys being offered some money and then other guys who have moved out of the area.”
Werribee will play two practice matches in the lead up to the new season against Romsey and Marcellin as well as an intra-club match before taking on Old Haileybury in round one.
After being hit hard by injuries in 2012, Harrington believes a number of the club’s young stars, who were given a taste of senior football last year, will now be ready to take the next step in their development.
“It makes it difficult when you are losing good quality players but the positive side is that our younger players who stepped in to fill the void last year are now a year older,” he said.
“They have spent some time in the gym, they are stronger and more equipped to tackle the season ahead.
“We believe with our best side on the park, we will be more than competitive.
“We haven’t sat down and said this is where we would like to be because of the structural changes to our list but you always start the year off looking to achieve the ultimate success.”
