This time last season, Thomastown’s ambition in division 2 of the Northern Football League was just to avoid relegation.
After achieving that easily, with a fifth‐placed finish only two points outside the finals, the target for the Bears this year is to continue the development.
“Numbers have been pretty good at training,” Bears coach Dean Sinclair said last week.
“We’ve shown we can be competitive and people want to be involved.
“We want to equal at least the 11 wins we had last year and go better than that.”
Among the growing numbers on the track for the Bears are a number of under‐19 players.
“We had no under‐19s last year and the club is really pushing hard to get a side,” Sinclair said.
“We’ve started with a small base of players. We’re still looking for more but we’re getting close.”
Sinclair said the club had retained 90 per cent of its list from last season.
Most of those who have left the club are returning to their original club, Bundoora.
“We had seven or eight cross over from Bundoora last season and most have gone back,” he said.
“Matthew Ferraro is the one we’ll miss most as he finished second in the division goalkicking.”
But even before Ferraro’s departure, the Bears had set their sights on improving their goalkicking options.
“Even with Matt finishing high in the goalkicking, we were struggling to kick enough goals,” Sinclair said.
“We had a good defence and midfield, so we needed to bolster our forward line.”
The Bears have signed Dean Francis, who kicked 84 goals for Dingley in 2014, while 2008 premiership player Stefan Berak has returned.
Sinclair said Adrian Pappas, who has crossed from Wyndham Suns, is the best kick at the club, while former Hawthorn player and new recruit Carl Peterson has been outstanding in the early preseason.
“Carl has been sensational,” Sinclair said.
“He’s an assistant coach this season and he takes 80 per cent of training and gives me the chance to work with guys individually. I’ve never had that luxury before.
“He is one of the first on the track and the last one to leave.”
