Calder Cannons are primed for the TAC Cup after a big pre-season.
The Cannons, who have been training since late last year, have had six practice games including an intra-club match in the lead-up to the season.
New Cannons coach Ross Smith said while it might seem like a lot of games for a pre-season, it’s given them plenty of opportunities to look at different players.
“We started with 86 players and we’re now down to 54,” he said.
“We’ve been really happy with the preparation. We’ve played a lot of games, but only started playing our strongest team over the last couple of weeks.
“We were trying to give the guys in the region every chance to show us what they can do in the early games.”
Smith said they had slightly more top age players in the squad than bottom age players, with a number stepping up from last season.
He said they had a strong group of players, with the 17-year-olds that have come up complementing the existing players.
Smith said there were a number of players who had stood out during the pre-season.
“Ty Browning has really stepped up and not missed a session,” he said. “Jake Riccardi and Mitchell Podhajski are 19-years-old and have done quite well.
“The three academy boys, Jack Bytel, Rhylee West and Curtis Taylor, only played the two games and they have stepped up.”
Smith said others to stand out were Lucas Cavallaro, who would play down back with father-son possibility Mason Fletcher; Brodie Newman who has shown something up forward; Jack Evans as a defender who can go into the midfield; and ruckman Devereux Pretty who will add some size to the midfield.
Sam Graham, Shane Skidmore, Jeremy O’Sullivan, Nathan Croft, Ismail Moussa and Lachlan Sholl are other players to have good pre-seasons, according to Smith.
The three academy boy sand Fletcher are seen as the Cannons’ top draft prospects heading into the season.
West, son of Scott, is on the radar of the Western Bulldogs as a father-son pick, and Fletcher, son of Dustin, is in the same situation.
Smith, who took on the coaching role late last year, said he was enjoying the challenge.
“It’s been terrific,” he said. “It’s cut-throat in the AFL and the TAC Cup promoted different things. It’s about the development of players and getting them drafted.
“It’s been a productive pre-season and hopefully it progresses into the season.”
The Cannons start their season on Friday night under lights against the Western Jets.
Smith said they were looking forward to kick-off.
“The funny thing is, by round one you’re half way through everything,” he said. “We’ve played the players in a variety of different positions and it gives us some flexibility.”
