Tara Murray
Essendon’s Sam Conforti is hoping to build on his first season in the red and black in the Victorian Football League.
Conforti played six games in his first season and was a key performer before the season was cut short.
The 20-year-old said the playing group was keen to get back out on the field.
“It’s extremely exciting just after the recent couple of years as we’ve had with lockdowns and seasons being cut short,” he said.
“It’s been extremely exciting to get back out, I’m just pretty pumped to get out there. Obviously the change in coach with [Brent] Stanton coming on, but he has been really good bringing a different perspective and driving really good standards.
“We’ve had a really good preseason with a pretty fresh feel, there’s a lot of new faces compared to last year.
“It has been good, getting to meet a lot of new people, it’s sort of a different vibe, it’s been very exciting.”
Conforti said at times it was a little surreal having someone like Stanton as coach. Stanton played 255 AFL games for the Bombers, before joining the coaching ranks.
“At times you forget how good he was, he’s great,” he said.
“He’s like a normal person, he has really high standards, which is really good for my football program.
“It’s good that he is such an Essendon legend, but at the same time it’s a bit weird him coaching us.”
This year the Bombers will have a younger side, with a number of new faces.
While there will be plenty of youth, there has been some experienced players join the group as well.
None more than Ben Jolley, who sits fourth on the all-time VFL games list. Jolley returns to the Bombers having played AFL and VFL with the club before playing at Williamstown and Port Melbourne.
“It has been pretty good getting Jolls back, he’s a VFL legend with a lot of experience,” Conforti said.
“Being such a young group, he’s the perfect person to have around. He’s still got it, he’s still a freak.”
For Conforti personally, he said he’s excited to have a full pre-season at VFL level under his belt.
Feeling fit and confident, he’s ready to build on last season.
“I just want to play consistent footy throughout the year and I’m trying to develop a few areas in my game… trying to balance my inside and outside game. “
The Bombers were set to kick off their season on Saturday against Geelong, after deadline.
Conforti said after a disappointing 2021 they were keen to step it up this year.
“I feel we have come together really well, it’s a very tight group.
“We had a little bit of disappointing season last year and only came away with two wins. We want to play a bit more consistent footy throughout the year, to make not only ourselves better and making our teammates better too.”
