GEELONG West co-coach Mitch Wight isn’t concerning himself with external expectations after a positive off-season on the recruiting front.
Last year’s beaten elimination finalist has only one confirmed departure – the retirement of Justin White – while adding a host of quality recruits, including reigning BFNL leading goalkicker Mat Hebbard and experienced Giants GFNL duo Scott Frangos and Daniel Craven.
“You look at all the sides in the league, and everyone has improved,” Wight said. “And, if you’re not improving, you will drop back in the pack.
“As far as expectations go, I don’t believe there is any more expectation this year than there was last year.
“But, we realise that we finished fifth last year; we were knocked out in our first final … we have to improve.”
“For us to do that, we had to bring in the right people. We had to retain our list, which we managed to do.
“But, we’re under no illusions that we can’t sit and be stagnant because, at the end of the day, we’re there to win finals.”
Wight is keen to see what the combination of Hebbard, who kicked 95 goals for Drysdale last year, and Giant Blake Dye can produce.
Dye was a standout in 2022 with 75 goals, finishing second in the GDFNL goalkicking behind Bell Post Hill spearhead Will Ford.
“To kick 170 goals between them means they’re going to be really dangerous up forward,” Wight said.
“They’ve looked really, really good together at training, learning each other’s games. It makes us more dynamic.
“Sides have now got a number of people they need to have a look at up forward.
“In saying that, we’ve for Ted Wallis and Josh Taylor that rolled down forward and kicked goals last year.
“We’ve got Matty Ianelli that kicked goals last year.
As well as Hebbard, Frangos and Craven, Geelong West has also added Nick Byrne (St Bernard’s), Dean Ferguson (Epping), Zac Rowarth (Birregurra) and Charles Wild (Jeparit-Rainbow).
The new faces will get a chance to impress in a trio of practice matches against Drysdale, Irrewarra-Beeac and Creswick ahead of West’s tough start to the home-and-away season.
The Giants have home twilight clashes with minor premier East Geelong and reigning runner-up Inverleigh on either side of Easter to open the season, which Wight knows will give his team an indication of how they’ll fare in 2023.
“We’re excited by the challenge that we come out in the first couple of rounds, and we get to test ourselves against the best from last year,” he said.
“In saying that, I think the league will improve out of sight; it certainly has in the last three or four years with the players that are running around in the GDFL.
“We have to make sure we prepare really well in the next couple of weeks.”
“We’re really excited that footy’s nearly back.”
Twitter: @tom_king79
