Mick McGuane gives advice to Keilor midfielder Ricky Marcy earlier this year. 85096_03 Picture: DAMIAN VISENTINI
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
FORMER VFL midfielder Luke Cartelli headlines a list of several new recruits heading to Keilor for the 2013 Essendon District Football League season.
Cartelli, who spent his junior days with the Blues before plying his trade with Williamstown and
Coburg, has been added to give Keilor’s young midfield a much-needed boost.
In addition, the return of former Blues coach Rodney Callahan in a new football operations role and the subsequent arrival of Deer Park premiership coach James Condos have also seen Robert Trajkovski and Dean Stankovic join Keilor’s ranks.
Condos, also a former Keilor junior, walked away from his on-field coaching role at Deer Park in late September as it became clear injuries would likely prevent him from spending much time on the park in 2013.
Despite that, McGuane has not completely ruled out an on-field comeback for his newly-appointed assistant coach.
“He’s come to our club at this stage in a coaching capacity, he hasn’t come as player/coach,” McGuane said.
“Things could change, depending on his body and how he feels and the urgency of the situation – but right here right now, he’s on board as a line coach.
“If he’s physically capable we’d certainly entertain that thought, but as far as I’m concerned we needed to add to our coaching staff and coaching stocks and James has come on board as a coach first and foremost.”
McGuane then added a decision to pull on the boots rests solely with Condos.
“I’ll have to be reliant on him to tell me how that is and obviously then he’ll have to tick all the boxes like every other player does on our list,” McGuane said.
“We won’t play injured players at all because you can’t afford liabilities in this competition.”
Keilor finished seventh in the EDFL’s Premier Division this season but did challenge teams that finished in the top five.
McGuane believes the next step required for the Blues to return to the finals is bolstering his midfield to support Dylan Joyce, Ricky Marcy and Dick Reynolds Medallist Rodney Van Riet.
“They’re slighter builds and they’re good players, but over a two-hour, combative game of footy, the slighter bodies can certainly tire very quickly, and we found that out in back ends of quarters,” McGuane said.
“Cartelli and also Rob Trajkovski will give us some real shape and size through the middle of the ground.
“Stankovic will give us another option down back to play on the bigger boys but also give us that ability to give us some good rebounding run.”
