District League 2016 - Preview - Part 2
Part 2 of our District League Preview takes a look at the rest of the clubs.
KIAMA QUARRIERS
Second Year Coach, James Spence reports that plenty of players have attended training but their have been some ongoing issues with Cricket & Work committments which impacted on results in the Frat Cup (draw & two losses).
Spence's biggest task in 2016 will be to turn around problems in defence after recording the second worst defensive record last season. If that can be achieved, he expects the number one side to be competetive and a top six finish is not unrealistic.
Key Players: Daniel Gillespie(RB),Dean Land (Centre Mid), Chris Christodolou(Striker)
Ins: Daniel Buzinski(South Coast United), Tim Walsh(South Coast United), Adam Hinkley(Hobart,Tasmania)
Outs: Brendan Apperley(Retired),
OAK FLATS FALCONS
The Falcons have a new man in the hot seat at Keith Bond Oval with Rookie First Grade Coach, Marty Madden having been handed the reins from Michael Garcia who has taken up a position with Wollongong Wolves for 2016.
Madden has been pleased with the clubs efforts both on & off the field with fair results in The Frat Cup (2 draws & a win) and have bolstered their ranks with some good off season signings to go with the retention of most of the 2015 squad.
Numbers have been terrific across the 3 grades at training and the Head Coach is confident the club is in for a great season with an expectation that the first grade side will improve on it's 7th place finish last season with Finals Football the ultimate goal.
Key Players: Jamie Stevenson (Centre Mid) and strikers Andrew Bradshaw & Daniel Petrolo.
Ins: Ben Wunsch (Parramatta FC), Daniel Pisani(Corrimal Rangers), Leroy Boota(Gerringong), Joshua Martin(Wests Illawarra), Samuel Bosowiec(Warilla Wanderers), Andrew Bradshaw(Lilli Pilli).
Outs: Anthony Matthews(Cringila Lions), Brendan Jovanovski(Retired)
THIRROUL FC
First Grade Coach, Garth Bowley reports that the club has lost 17 players from the 2015 roster for Youth and Reserve Grades but the majority of First Grade players have been retained.
However, the club's Youth Development Policy continues to harvest players with a number of promising younger players being elevated to the Senior Ranks. Bowley boats that Thirroul will field the youngest First Grade side for some time with an average age of 22.
Thirroul is very proud of it's Club Champions record (winners last three seasons) and Garth is extremely confident that the top two grades will be top 5 material again with the Youth Grade side an unknown quantity at this point.
Key Players: Daniel Bond and James Hutton(both defenders), Matt Kellond (striker)
Ins: Luke Mitwollen (Woonona), Peter Besnard(South Coast United)
UOW FC
Newly appointed Coach, Brendan Fotheringham(replaced 2015 Coach David Boscoscuro) reports that preparation for the 2016 Season has been the norm for UOW FC whereby training/trial games has been impacted by Students slow on the uptake for University studies in Wollongong although numbers have been quite good.
Newly appointed Coach, Brendan Fotheringham(replaced 2015 Coach David Boscoscuro) reports that preparation for the 2016 Season has been the norm for UOW FC whereby training/trial games has been impacted by Students slow on the uptake for University studies in Wollongong although numbers have been quite good.
Having said that, UOW had a very good run in the recently completed Frat Cup in which they were eliminated at the semi-final stage by the odd goal in seven against Wests Illawarra.
With the nucleus of 2015 players returning to the club, Fotheringham expects the club to finish in the top half of the table but he is concerned about the restriction on Visa Players that has been introduced by FSC for season 2016. Over the years, Wollongong University has seen large numbers of overseas students attend which have boosted the playing ranks of the football club.
Key Players: Tom Shannon, Scott Mawbey, Tom Brown, Luke Van Den Burgh.
Ins: Dane Hamilton (Bulli)
WARILLA WANDERERS
Barney King is once again the man in charge at Warilla and being the eternal optimist he is expecting to see his side fighting for promotion at Season's end.
Although results in the Frat Cup were poor (3 losses), King has been happy with the progress in pre-season and is excited about the squad that is being put together for the assault on the 2016 Premiership and his working hard on a formation that suits the players at his disposal.
The club has attracted a new major sponsor (Central Hotel Shellharbour) and the club is in a great position off the field also.
Key Players: Paul Gaffney, Luke Greathead, Colin Walker, Chad Keating.
Ins: Adam Martin(Port Kembla), Paul Gaffney(Community League), Adrian Montelbano(APWE), John Hagenaar, Adam White (Berkeley), Danny Ristevski (Cringila), Jason Goldsmith(Community League), Nathan Peglar(Berkeley).
Outs: Jeremy Lopez(Wollongong Wolves)
WESTS ILLAWARRA
Wests have promoted successful Youth Grade Coach, Arthur Kinnas to handle the Head Coaching position for 2016 after Steven Dimitrievski moved on to Wollongong United in the off season.
Artie has wasted no time in introducing a 'Youth Policy' at the club and he boasts that the average age of the big numbers at training is 23years.
The core of last year's first grade side has been retained with a number of 2015 Youth Grade players being elevated to the senior sides. Youthful numbers have also been boosted by the influx of numbers from the highly successful Under 16 side from Port Kembla which means that West's U/20's and U/18's could be particularly strong in the new season.
Preparation for the Competition proper has been excellent with the club reaching the Final of the Frat Cup before losing out to a strong Corrimal Rangers side.
Kinnas is not getting carried away with the pre-season form but is setting a top 5 finish as a target for all sides at Wests this term.
Key Players: Jake Bailey, Ben Sallabank, Luke Melkert, Joeseph Youseff, Nick Tortorella.
TIPS:
League Champions: Corrimal Rangers (shortest priced favourites in recent memory)
Runners-Up: Warilla Wanderers
Runners-Up: Warilla Wanderers
Top 5: Fernhill, Wests Illawarra, Helensburgh Thistle.
David Naylor
Last Modified on 24/03/2016 13:17
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