With the season fast approaching, Sunbury Lions are desperately seeking players for its under-18.5 team.
The Ballarat Football League club currently has about 15 under-18.5 players set to play regularly this season.
Lions’ president John Sanderson said the club is really struggling to attract players in this age group.
“Twenty-four players would be ideal, as it will allow for injuries,” he said. “We lost 17 players to the Calder Cannons and other clubs in the off-season, which hurts us massively.
“We normally expect to pick some players up from under-16s, but we haven’t had that this year.”
Six Lions’ players have moved into the Calder Cannons squad, but only one or two of these are expected to play for the Lions each week.
Sanderson said the club was looking at alternatives if it can’t get the required number of players. He said the club was after players of any skill level.
“We will have to try and get some of the under-16s to play up to fill the team,” he said.
“We’ve also got people talking to other clubs, which might have too many under-18.5s players, and seeing if we can get players on permits for some weeks. Normally, we like to promote under-18.5s to the senior team, if their form warrants it. But if we don’t have the numbers we won’t be able to do that.”
The Lions will play eight games at home, two each at Melton and Bacchus Marsh, and only four games at Ballarat. Players will train with the senior team on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
The club has appointed the experienced Wayne Meacham as coach of the under-18.5s. Meacham previously coached Sunbury Kangaroos to two successive reserves premierships.
“On the coaching side of things, we are well in front,” Sanderson said.
Several BFL clubs are facing a shortage of players and the Lions are among those to receive exceptions to play players qualifying for under-19s. Sanderson said, of the three Lions’ players this would affect, two of them are part of the Cannons squad.
AFL Goldfields commercial and regional operations manager Aaron Nunn said several clubs would use age exemptions this year.
The Lions are also after under-19 netballers for this season.
Details: 0429 984 916 or 0439 107 218.
