Tara Murray
A good start to the Ballarat Football League season is a key for the Sunbury Lions.
Having started poorly the last two seasons which ultimately ended their finals hopes, the Lions are focused on making sure they don’t have a repeat of that.
Lions coach Travis Hodgson said it had been a good pre-season and they believed they were on track for a better first part of the season.
He said the side was a lot fitter and stronger than they were at this time last year.
“Last year we went up to North Ballarat to start the season, missing 17 of our best 22,” he said.
“We were all over the shop with the side last year. If you win one of your first five matches, it makes it hard to play finals.
“With our track record, we need to start well.”
Hodgson said only three of their best 22 were set to miss the start of the season. Jack Hannett broke his ankle in pre-season, while Patrick Scanlon is still recovering from a shoulder reconstruction and James Cree is recovering from hamstring issues.
The Lions will have a number of new recruits, many who are familiar faces in their line up this season.
Cody Brand returns to his junior club having spent the last two years on Essendon’s AFL list.
Mitch Lewis, who played with the Lions in between Victorian Football League commitments last season, has committed full time.
Josh Guthrie is another who has stepped back from the VFL and will play with the Lions full time.
Josiah Garisto and Rivva Karpany are the other two key signings, both having also played at the higher level.
Hodgson said the new recruits had fitted in really well.
“Mitch and Josh are almost like new recruits as we get them at training all the time,” he said.
“We have such a young group and they’ve all played at that higher level.
“Lewis is 25, Gutheris is 27 and Karpany is 27. Brand is only a kid still, but two years on an AFL list will have fast tracked him.
“We’ve got these guys who are in the right age bracket.”
Hodgson said that Brand, who can play either end, would play mostly as a forward. They are also looking to have Karpany in the forward line two.
He said they were hoping the pair would be part of the answer to their scoring struggles.
The Lions rounded out their pre-season practice matches on Saturday against Gisborne in their yearly pre-season match.
The Lions season then starts on April 15 at home against North Ballarat.
“We play North Ballarat and Melton in the first two games both at Clarke Oval,’ Hodgson said.
“It would be great for us to get one of them.
“Then we’ve got a patch of three games that are all really winnable.”
