Thomas Ingleton
Rupertswood endured a tough season marked by significant challenges and ending in relegation, yet managed to close its Essendon District Football League division 1 campaign on a winning note.
The win provides a much needed morale boost for the club, having lost several players in the off-season and being relegated for season 2025.
Sharks coach Brad Fox said he believes this should still be an optimistic time for the club.
The club won four games this season and finished second bottom. The bottom two teams will play in division 2 next season.
“As a coach of the club, we had to do a lot of learning throughout the course of this season as we have some talent that is very young, inexperienced and our focus all year is that we’re either winning or learning,” he said.
“And it all came together in the last round of the season to show how much the guys have learned.”
Fox said despite the nightmare season, there is no reason to suggest they can’t aim to taste the ultimate success in division 2 next season.
“Look, I think every team should have some lofty goals,” he said.
“If the league does put us into division 2, then our lofty goal is that we need to go and win the premiership to come back to division one.”
Fox said the main focus of the off-season will be looking for experienced players to help develop the younger, less experienced players currently in the squad.
But, he stressed that it will only be to compliment the younger talent the club already has and doesn’t want to take away the amazing culture he believes is already established at the club.
“We’ll be looking for a select number of recruits,” he said. “But in addition to that, one of the great things we had this season was the atmosphere and the culture around the club was just, you know, fantastic.
“And all of our events have been sold out. We had great numbers at training, you know, we had over 70 players play for the club through the seniors and reserves this year.”
The Sharks have already announced a number of re-signings for next season, including all their leadership group.
Fox is supremely confident the club can rebuild and come back stronger, and he is making some key changes in the pre-season.
“We’ll be doing particular training over the summer around football craft, and then we’ll do a fairly balanced strength and conditioning period as well,” he said.
“We want to continue to help our younger players as they have so much more potential, and you know, the coaching team’s job is to make that potential become reality.”
