By RUSSELL BENNETT
WITH a young list and without the use of their home ground, plenty of pundits were expecting Nar Nar Goon to take a couple of steps backward this season.
But it just seems no one told Goon favourite son and new coach Tom Hallinan that.
A key part of the club’s premiership success in 2010, Hallinan has a few key expectations for the new season: Development of the club’s leaders, creation of versatile players, and to push for a top-six spot under the return of the top-eight system.
“We’ll know where we sit by Round 7 but our first six weeks are bloody tough and that’s going to tell me whether my expectations have to be adjusted,” Hallinan told the Gazette recently.
“I feel we’ve got a top-six team.”
The new Goon coach, who is fresh off a stint as an assistant coach at Aberfeldie in the Essendon and District Football League and prior to that coached Tooradin in what is now the South East Football Netball League, said he had seen healthy numbers at training so far through the pre-season.
As for the senior list, the Goon has lost star on-baller Matt Krawczyk, ruckman Stephen Finlayson and veteran Kevin Girola, along with former player-coach Scott Goldsworthy. On top of that, they’ll be without Brodie Howe and Jackson Fromhold for a year.
But – crucially – practically everyone else has been retained.
“For guys coming in to the club, I’ve sort of gone for two areas,” Hallinan said.
“I’ve played a bit of moneyball.
“The side was a little bit void of talk and communication so I’ve brought in some 27-year-old guys for a bit of experience.
“They’re outgoing guys and they set ‘best practice’ in terms of training.”
Daniel Conroy, James Martin and Josh Brown have all come across from Tooradin, while former Seagulls’ under-18 coach Dennis Armstrong will look after fitness at the Goon and help run the match-day bench.
Ben Scanlon, who will still play senior footy this season, has taken on the reserves’ coaching role; while the likes of Nick Henwood, Chris Adams, Mark Symons and Josh Grant – all who missed large parts of last season – are fit and firing.
Meanwhile, 32-year-old veteran Chris Kent – a former best-and-fairest winner at Golden Square – is set to play a key role in the senior side, as is 25-year-old, six-foot-three (190.5cm) on-baller Matt Stevens who Hallinan describes as “an exceptional talent”.
From a committee perspective, president Adrian Scott said the club was still trying to work through its fixture. At this stage it looks like the Goon will be playing home games at a mixture of Pakenham, Cora Lynn and Kooweerup.
“(Losing the ground for the year) It’s a big sacrifice for the club, and there’s no denying that,” he said.
“It has been for the cricket club too but this is the first time we’ve had any work done on the ground in 30 years and if it’s bypassed it might be another 30 years before we get it done.”
Hallinan has been appointed on a two-year deal with an option for a third and Scott said he was thrilled to have him back.
The Goon is currently on the lookout for more junior players, particularly for its new under-14 side to be coached by Alex Motta.
For more information, contact Adrian Scott on 0457 777 465.
