With the first half of its debut season almost in the books, Surf Coast coach Trent Rogers says the second half will be used as a platform for 2027.
The Suns are holding up the Bellarine ladder heading into Round 10, with the shock win over Portarlington in Round 2 their only success.
They’ve lost seven consecutive matches by an average of 86 points, with last week’s 65-point margin against Barwon Heads their best effort during that span.
However, Rogers isn’t measuring success purely by wins and losses.
“I think there’s been a lot of positives,” he told K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast.
“Of course, it would have been nice to get maybe a couple more wins… it was great to get one early, which I guess a lot of people from the outside looking in probably came extremely unexpected to get one that soon.
“But as a group, as the weeks have gone by, I feel like the lads are getting to know one another a little bit better each week.
“We had very few players that actually played in the Bellarine last year or even the year before – they’re getting to know each other.
“But the way their energy and everything at training and the way they are sort of bonding and connecting together as a group has probably been the most impressive part, to be honest.
“And I think as that continues to grow, the results on field will start to probably be a bit more reflective of that as well.”
Injuries and unavailability have impacted the Suns, who have already used 37 players, which Rogers admits has been “a challenge”.
“We’ve had some consistency in our back third, which has been great,” Rogers said. “I feel like they’re probably the group that’s maybe connecting and gelling a little bit more than, say, the mids and the forwards.
“But that’s probably because, throughout the backs… generally we’ll play with seven defenders each week with that rotation off the bench, but we’ve probably only used 9 or 10 through that line.
“Whereas the forward line is probably one we’ve found very hard to be consistent with. I think there was one week the starting six in our forward line was four or five players different to the week before.
“And that’s where a lot of teams have actually got a hold of us, is across our half-forward line, and they’ve sort of attacked from their back third.”
Surf Coast, which will chase its second win – and first at home – when it hosts ninth-placed Ocean Grove on Saturday, have commenced developing its list for next year.
“The conversations on player retention have started to come to the surface, which is great,” Rogers said.
“Our list manager, Brodie (Marston), he’s been starting to have those conversations with the current playing group.
“(And) starting to seed those conversations as well with that recruitment list. Some could be the ones that we missed out on getting. across for this season,
“But, we’ll re-enter that and try to see if we can get some of those guys on board for next year.”
Surf Coast has made three changes to the team that lost to Barwon Heads last week.
Veteran Ross Young has a minor hamstring issue, with Dillyn Fedley and Iganacio Lopez Basavilbaso omitted.
They’ve been replaced by co-captain Joss Howlett, Ethan Waldron, and debutant Aaron Hanson.
The Suns will face a Grubbers outfit boosted by the return of Gary Rohan and Harry Cashin. However, talented youngster ned Badrock will be on Vic Country duty.
A break in the Talent league season has proved beneficial for Drysdale, who will have access to Ollie Castro and Sam Willatt for Saturday’s clash with reigning premier Anglesea at Ellimatta Reserve.
After kicking five goals on debut for the Hawks in the win over Modewarre a fortnight ago, the recently turned 17-year-old contributed four majors in the Western Jets’ victory against the Geelong Falcons last week.
Willatt, who coaches the Calder Cannons, will make his third appearance in brown and gold.
They replace Jye Bolton, who has returned to Western Australia following his second cameo appearance, and Jayden Hunt.
Hunt, who played three consecutive games where he kicked 11 goals, is in the United States working on a golf documentary.
The Roos, who sit outside the top five, a game and percentage behind Newcomb, have lost co-captain Dale Kerr and Josh King to injury, with Brodie Cambridge and Jai Anderson omitted.
Jack Walters is back after missing the loss to Geelong Amateur, with Ryan Bell, James Gray and Joel Hogan recalled from the reserves.
Travis Boak looks set to make his fifth appearance of the season when Torquay hosts Modewarre at McCartney Oval.
The Tigers have also named Geelong Falcons pair Van Rahilly and Charlie Montebello in their extended squad.
Veteran Jesse Dawson, big man Reef Page, and Viv McCarthy are the confirmed outs.
The Warriors have recalled Scott Morter and Avery Knight from the reserves. Jack Graham has been promoted for his first senior match of the season.
Jack Kelly, Baxter Anderson and Eamon Rovers have been omitted.
Barwon Heads has been forced into three changes ahead of its meeting with Newcomb at Howard Harmer Oval.
Kallum Hinchcliffe (hamstring), Darby Graham (cut head) and James Allen couldn’t be considered for selection.
They’ve been replaced by Jake Whybrow, James Callaway and Jack Stevens. For Stevens, it’s his first senior appearance since Round 13, 2024.
The Power have made four changes.
Thewin Robertson, Luke Justin, Tom Courtney and Charlie Harvey replace Tom Williams (knee), Jarrod Stafford (managed), Judd Smith and Riley Hull.
Geelong Amateur will head to Portarlington without defender Daniel Grose, and forward duo Riley Mattner and Charley Green.
Grose is unavailable, while Matter (ribs) and Geelong VFL-listed Green (foot) are injured.
They’ve been replaced by Cooper Jerinic, John Thornton and Jack Pickering. For Pickering, it’s his first senior appearance of the season after a delayed start.
Thornton, who attends Geelong College, is available due to the APS King’s Birthday Weekend bye.
The Demons welcome back talisman Teia Miles and former Grovedale defender Nathan McHugh as the replacements for Josh Jones and Max Ruiter.
More to come
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