Several St Albans players will use the club’s upcoming double bye to head elsewhere to get their footy fix over the next fortnight.
The Supersaints’ second club bye falls this weekend, followed by the league-wide competition pause during the middle week of the school holidays.
Coach Rick Munn says those keen to have a competitive kick before returning to action July 11 do so with the club’s blessing.
Among them is reigning club best-and-fairest Fletcher Keck, who is headed to Cairns along with Noah Cockerell.
Big man Andrew Taylor will play in Horsham, Zac Larkins at Rupunyap, and the Sinkinson brothers, Nick and Brad, are off to Gippsland.
“We’re encouraging that, although you have your heart in your mouth sometimes.
“But I think it’s good nourishment for them to get back and connect with their local clubs and families, and they still get a bit of taste of footy.
“But we’ve made sure they don’t play two weeks; they still get at least one full week off.
“And I think that’s the best thing to do at this time of year.”
After screaming out for its first bye following the loss to South Barwon in Round 6, in which they finished with 16 fit players, Munn admits this one halts the momentum that has been building.
A win over Grovedale, which snapped an eight-match losing streak, followed respectable losses to finals hopefuls Newtown & Chilwell, Bell Park and St Joseph’s.
“Although we didn’t get the result at Joeys, it was really six minutes, seven minutes that beat us,” Munn said.
“They just put the hammer down with some of their talent.”
“But we were right in the game there. We were in the game with Newtown and Bell Park as well.
So, we’ve had a pretty strong month without getting the results.
“So, it was good to get some nourishment on the weekend with a good win over Grovedale”
Munn has an intra-club planned for next Thursday night ahead of the Supersaints’ second weekend off.
They will then face Leopold following the league bye, with several players in line to return from injury, while Perth-based big man Matt McKenzie is expected to be available.
Blake Hodgson will be right, while Tyson Roberts, whose season was thought to be over after suffering a serious ankle injury against the Swans, could also take on the Lions.
However, former North Melbourne player Eddie Ford’s hopes of playing with St Albans this year are fading after undergoing another foot operation.
“I’m due to catch up with him, so I’m not sure what the prognosis is on the back of that (operation), Munn said.
“I’ll catch up with him later in the week and see how he’s travelling.”
X: @krockfootball
