Stayer … After a pre-season with VFL side Werribee, Todd Finco has decided to stay with Albion this year. 53195Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By Michael Esposito
IT’S been billed as the battle of the West – last season’s WRFL and EDFL champions going head-to-head in a tournament which pits Melbourne’s best teams against each other, ultimately revealing the champion team of the metropolitan leagues.
Albion’s first-year coach Marcus Barclay isn’t quite buying into the hype, but said when his boys take to the park against the might of Maribyrnong Park in the first round of the inaugural James Boag’s Pre-season Invitational this Sunday, they’ll be playing to win.
The carnival, which features eight of the best teams from Melbourne’s football leagues, has been promoted as a competition for bragging rights, with South Barwon and Maribyrnong Park installed as the favourites to battle it out in the grand final.
But for Barclay, the tournament will be more about finding out what level his players are at than winning the title and the accompanying $5000 pay cheque. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of intrigued spectators wondering how last season’s underdog premiers fare against the star-studded Lions.
“Once they get out there, they’ll be certainly playing to win, no doubt about it, and if there’s five minutes to go and we’re a couple of goals in front, we’ll do all we can to progress. I think every club’s going to be in the same boat,” Barclay said.
“Had I been a four-to-five year coach I might have approached it differently but being a first-year coach I’m just going to give everyone a crack and just see what we’ve got. At the end of the day results may go in our favour and it would be great, but I think it’ll just give me an idea of where we sit with our new recruits and even our existing players.”
Albion will be a few key players short. Co-captain Glenn Manton and arguably the WRFL’s best backman John Haldane will not take part. Barclay said it was not worth risking the veterans. Star recruit Shane Fredricksen, who co-captained Keilor Park last season, will also be unavailable because he is running a triathlon.
Barclay is still tossing up whether to play Shylo Smith, a midfielder who has been training with Albion but is yet to be given clearance by Doutta Stars. Smith has had knee troubles for three years and Barclay is hesitant about putting him on the park underdone.
One new recruit sure to pique the interest of fans is Romain Grenville, a district talented cricketer who is playing with North Melbourne this season, and a former Dandenong Stingray.
“On the training track he seems a very good footballer so he’ll be one worth keeping an eye on. He’s very fit and very athletic,” Barclay said.
Fans will also be pleased to know that young dynamo Todd Finco, who had been with VFL side Werribee, decided to stick with the Cats this year.
