FOOTY is back and Star’s Stuart Teather caught up with the A Grade clubs to find out how they are

tracking in the

lead-up to round one.



REIGNING premier Keilor has lost five of its premiership side in off-season trading, including grand final hero Damian Houlihan, who has gone to Sunbury in the Ballarat Football League.

Club stalwarts Andrew Lambropoulos and Leigh Picioane retired in the off-season, meaning the Blues will enter 2009 with a new-look list.

But it would be folly to write off any team under Mick McGuane, with the AFL legend returning for his second season at the helm.

“We’ve lost some years of experience and some talented players,” he said. “(But) our club is in a very healthy state in all four grades.”

Runner-up Greenvale will look to bounce back from last year’s grand final upset with some new faces and a new game style, after the club lost a number of talls over the break.

Big men Ben Hakim, Simon Potter, Andrew Briggs and Eric Kuret have all departed the club, but the Jets scooped plenty of new talent, including former VFL players Joey Gazzo (Coburg) and Sean Thornton (Werribee). Perhaps the biggest recruit is Glenroy’s centurion goal-kicker Jonathon Kent, who will plug the big gap left by Kuret up forward.

“It won’t look too much different; it might be a different style of play but people will be pleasantly surprised,” coach Stephen MacPherson said.

WEST Coburg has invested in youth, as well as picking up a couple of experienced players, according to coach David Callender.

Tall forward Ben Hakim (Greenvale) will line up for West Coburg, and gun midfielder Daniel McFerran (West Preston-Lakeside) also joins the club.

League powerhouse Strathmore added some AFL-level talent to its squad with former Essendon and Geelong player Joel Reynolds signing on, but the biggest news out of the club is former Kangaroo Digby Morrell will take on playing coach duties for the year.

The Mores are still without a confirmed home ground this year, with Lebanon Reserve out of action due to the drought; however Cross Keys Reserve is shaping up as the likely venue.

MARIBYRNONG Park is poised to make the jump from newcomer to finals contender after signing on former Collingwood gun Brodie Holland.

Holland has taken the coaching reins over the pre-season and is tipped to remain in the top job throughout the season proper.

New coach Matthew Pearce joins Avondale Heights, moving on from his playing days in the VFL at Port Melbourne, bringing big-name team-mates Dean Francis and Brad Sutcliffe along for the ride.

ABERFELDIE has Essendon legend Dean Rioli at the helm this year and the coach said the club had looked to bolster the midfield in the off-season. New recruits Brad Morris and Rodney Van Riet will bring plenty of experience to the on-ball department this year.

CRAIGIEBURN could be the big movers this season after raiding the Northern Football League’s playing stocks.

The Eagles will boast a more experienced line-up than in 2008, with the club looking to add some leadership to the young playing group, including former Bundoora coach Paul King and nephew Rohan.

DOUTTA Stars added some AFL experience to the squad with former Essendon premiership ruckman John Barnes taking over coaching duties, and Paul Barnard joining as an assistant coach.

Division Two premier Glenroy looks set for a tough initiation into A Grade football after losing its top five players from the 2008 best and fairest.

Daniel Campbell, Trent Ogston, Jonathon Kent, Stuart Hoysted and Tom Delaney have all moved on to other clubs.