Decision time … Maribyrnong Park coach Craig Clinnick is yet to decide if all his stars, including Brodie Holland, will take to the field in this Sunday’s Boag’s Pre-Season Cup. 35486 Picture: EMILY LANE
By Luke D’Anello
MARIBYRNONG Park coach Craig Clinnick is yet to decide if he will unleash his full stable of stars in this Sunday’s inaugural Boag’s Pre-Season Cup, but his Lions will enter the event as one of the leading contenders.
The Lions, who have claimed the last two Essendon District Football League (EDFL) A Grade flags, are grouped with Albion (WRFL), Norwood (EFL) and Clayton (SFL) in the round robin tournament at Bulleen Park as eight of the best teams in Melbourne and Geelong go head-to-head.
Teams will be divided into two pools of four and games will be played in two 20-minute halves. Squads of up to 40 players will be allowed.
The Lions will contest two matches in the group stage, against Albion and Clayton, with the top two clubs from each group progressing to the semi-finals. South Barwon (GFL), West Preston-Lakeside (NFL), Riddell (RDFL) and Old Carey (VAFA) will form the other pool.
Maribyrnong Park boasts several former AFL-listed players in its ranks, including last season’s premiership coach Brodie Holland (Collingwood), Mark Bullen, Ben Haynes (both Essendon), Murray Boyd, Aisake O’hAilpin (both Carlton) and Ryan Crawford (Sydney).
Clinnick is hopeful his Lions will put up a strong showing.
“We’re certainly going into the event with a desire to represent our club and our league the best we can,” Clinnick said.
“It forms part of our whole pre-season and it is part of the build up to round one. From my viewpoint it will be (about) trialling guys in positions.
“There are probably some bragging rights that clubs and competitions are chasing from the day.
“Ideally, it’s something you’d play at the end of the season rather than the beginning. However, you have to have won a premiership to enter it, so it’s certainly an elite club and, from our viewpoint, we’re looking forward to making a great fist of it and making everyone proud of us.
“But I can’t guarantee today who will and who won’t play.”
“We’ve had a great pre-season, the guys are fit and we’d expect to make a good account of ourselves.”
Clinnick said the $5000 prize-money on offer for the winner will not be a carrot for his team to perform.
“It certainly won’t motivate us any differently in terms of what we’re about, but it would be terrific to be crowned number one and pick up the prize-money for the boys,” he said.
Clinnick also threw his support behind the idea of bringing the best-of-the-best together on one day.
He was hopeful the event would prove sustainable.
“I think the concept’s terrific. A lot of people have put a lot of time and effort and hard work into putting it together. “
