By Tara Murray
Woodend-Hesket coach Tom Carland is expecting his side to continue to build in the Riddell District Football League.
The Hawks finished seventh this year, a game outside the top six, in what was an up and down season.
The Hawks started the season on fire, before dropping some games midseason that they should have won.
Their finals hopes ended in the final round, when they lost to Riddell, knocking the Hawks out of the top six.
Carland, now in his second season in charge, said they were hoping to continue up to climb up the ladder, with finals the clear aim.
He said it would all start on the track in preseason, where he was hoping to have a bigger impact this time round.
He said there were 41 players on track for the first preseason training session last week.
“I’m here for all of this preseason,” he said. “I didn’t move down until after Christmas last year.
“We’ll definitely take on a bit more of what I want to do, in a game sense. It took us until the last couple of rounds for the boys to work out what I wanted.
“I think we won some games earlier in the season as we were fitter than other sides. I think it will be the case again.”
As well as having Carland on board for the whole preseason, the Hawks have been able to keep most of the squad together.
Carland said Charlie Mathieson is the only possible out, with the possibility he’ll give it a go at a higher level.
Carland said that was something that he encouraged to help players further develop themselves.
As well as keeping their list together, the Hawks have looked to strength the squad an add some more depth.
The club announced on Friday their first signing in Marcus Stapleton, who comes across from Strathmore.
Stapleton has the ability to play in the ruck, up forward or down back, giving the Hawks some more depth.
Joining Stapleton at the Hawks, is Oak Park duo Bryce Croswell and Michael Peart, James Samson who comes across from Old Scotch and Michael Shaw who joins the Hawks from North Heidelberg
Matt Bourke returns to the club, and will focus just on football having played Big V basketball with the Sunbury Jets last season.
Liam Bianco, a noted goal kicker at under-18.5 level in the past for the Hakws, is another returning to the club after not playing much the last couple of years.
MORE RDFL NEWS
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/melton-centrals-add-depth/
