Tara Murray
Epping is hoping to take steps forward in the Northern Football League division 2 competition this season.
After just two wins last season, the Pingers have had a really positive pre-season second year coaches Glen Lehner and Aaron Newport
Lehner said focus for the group this season was to continue to improve.
“We want to improve and get upward of five to seven games [wins],” he said. “We want to get somewhere in that mark and there’s some metrics that we want to improve on from last year.
“We want to reduce a few things and if we could play finals that would be fantastic.
“We’re a brand new group and we’re working on gelling together, playing together and hopefully getting that sustained success.”
The Pingers have had 20 new players join the club during the pre-season, with more than half of them set to feature in their senior team.
Lehner said there had been a mixture of players that they had targeted and then others who have come to the club.
“We were really targeted in our recruiting to help us with our transition,” he said.
“It’s really positive we’ve picked up 20 new players across the pre-season. More than half are really good quality senior players which has been great.”
Two of the players the Pingers targeted were Jackson and Ryan Bailey.
The signing of Jackson helped the club land Andrew Denoon, who played with Jackson in Sydney.
Denoon finished third in the Sydney AFL platinum division best and fairest award.
Other inclusions, Ethan Gorski from Panton Hill, Luke Lirosi from West Preston Lakeside and Westmeadows duo Jordan Hollow and Clayton Campbell. Campbell has now got a job in Tasmania and is taking off in a couple of weeks.
Lehner said they had also looked to bolster the off field side of things as well.
“Matthew Patti is our reserves coach,” he said. “He is ex-Epping and has been fantastic with the young boys.
“Our 19s didn’t get up so their coach Luke De Vincentis has started looking after the wellbeing and the leadership group.
“Anthony Stockwell is a mentor for me and Aaron. He has coached at VFL level and that experience knowledge is invaluable,”
The Pingers were set to kick off their season on Good Friday against Thomastown for a second straight year.
The match was after deadline.
Lehner said before the match that they were hoping to get a big crowd there.
