Rupertswood is again sticking with local talent as it prepares for the new Riddell District Football League season.
The Sharks will stay with their policy of not recruiting too many players, instead giving opportunities to their own juniors.
“There are a lot of players out there and some clubs are paying a lot of money for them,” new coach Kevin Fitzgerald said.
“We find it difficult to justify spending lots of money, when we have so many young guys we can develop. We have a responsibility to spend money on those players.
“Look at Riddell last year … I saw a couple of their games and Matthew Panuccio [who also still played in Riddell’s under-18.5’s last season] was the best player. I don’t see playing young players as a problem.”
Fitzgerald said there were a number of younger players who could play senior football for Rupertswood this season.
The club’s under-18.5 side has lost just one game in the past two seasons on the way to two premierships.
“Dylan Podolczak [six senior games] played last season and could have still played under-18.5s and Jackson Berry [two games] is another who played seniors,” Fitzgerald said.
“There are six or seven players who are good enough to play seniors.”
The Sharks have added just three players to the senior team, former Romsey captain Steve Burlak and Sunbury Kangaroos duo Phil Kaufmann and Matthew Sullivan.
Sullivan was captain of Melton South before spending last year at the Kangaroos.
“We’ve been very specific with who we have tried to get,” Fitzgerald said.
“Steve and Phil are big bodies and Matt is a good user of the ball.
“Steve has been there and been successful and is a quality person.
“Matt was made captain at a young age and you don’t make people captain at 21 if they aren’t a good person.
“I’ve known Phil since I coached him at Lancefield.”
The outs for Rupertswood include Leigh Brennan, Mitch Gaunt and Niall and Darragh McGovern.
“You never want to lose players like them,” Fitzgerald said. “But, no disrespect to them, I think their best football is behind them.
“We’ve got some really good under-18 kids and at some stage the kids will go past them.”
Fitzgerald said he was happy with how things were going at this stage of the season.
Rupertswood’s season starts away against Wallan under lights at Clarke Oval on Saturday, April 15.
“We’ll be competitive again this season,” Fitzgerald said.
