Daniel McKerracher was St Albans’ leading goal kicker with 43 goals this season. 68894_09 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
IF you just look at the numbers, it may seem hard to argue that St Albans made some ground in division one of the WRFL this season.
Having made the finals in 2011, the Saints had to battle with off-field drama throughout its 2012 preseason, including the loss of several key players.
A month into the home and away season this year, you would probably have thought 2012 would be nothing more than a write off for the Saints.
Yes, three of those four games were against clubs that would end up in this year’s finals series, but the Saints opened their 2012 campaign with an average losing margin of nearly 74 points.
Coach Ian Denny said the club was still reeling under its tumultuous preseason in the first half of the year.
“We lost some key players, but we probably knew right from the start that we were going to provide opportunities for the rest of our group, including the kids,” Denny said.
“We gave them opportunities to prove what they were worth, so out of that came the reality that we’ve got some pretty good kids coming through.”
The Saints’ form improved dramatically the longer the season went, most notably in their return game against Deer Park in round 10.
The Lions smashed St Albans by 90 points in round one, but the Saints scraped home for a memorable two-point win when the sides met again.
Denny said that game was a season highlight for his club.
“Once we got to the second part of the season, we maybe became a bit more resilient and a bit tougher in those sorts of situations and we didn’t worry about those other things that we couldn’t control,” Denny said.
“So it was very buoyant, it was a good day for us. To do that, it was a big turnaround.”
Despite its off-field troubles and fall down the ladder, the club recently decided to reappoint Denny for another season.
“I think there was a reality that was made that it wasn’t anything to do with the coaching staff or structures and our performance, it was about things outside of our control,” Denny said.
“I think they were happy that we actually developed the club (and) the playing list.”
With an eye already set on next year, Denny said he was able to discover where his side can improve.
“What we can take is we actually know exactly what we require to boost our list, and we’re actively already pursuing that.
“Because we’ve got a lot of younger ones, we’re obviously looking for a couple of bigger, stronger bodies, especially through the midfield, and that’s our main focus (along with) a couple of blokes with a bit of speed.”
