After a long pre-season, Calder Cannons are ready to hit the field on Thursday night to kick off the TAC Cup season.
The Cannons and Eastern Ranges will start the season under lights at RAMS Arena and Cannons coach Andrew Johnston said his team could not wait.
“It’s been a really good pre-season,” he said.
“We started with 90-plus kids back in November and put them through their paces. We’ve now got a list of 54 who are quality kids.
“We had a camp at Queenscliff last weekend and it was about putting it all together. Now we’re ready for the season.”
Johnston, in his second year as head coach, said there was one big difference between this group and the one from last season.
“I can’t compare to a couple of years ago as I wasn’t coach but they had a really good side and got 11 players drafted,” he said.
“This year the group is a lot closer than last year and the top-age guys have made a real point of including the 17-year-olds.
“It’s a really good start that they’ve come together as a group.”
Johnston said 22 players from last year’s group were still with the Cannons.
Many of them played several games last year despite being bottom age.
“We have a really good mix of players,” he said. “We were up and down last year and it meant we got to play a lot of the 17-year-olds. It was a big focus for us late in the season to again give them one, two or even half a dozen games. It holds them in good stead for this year.”
Johnston said several players had shown promise so far in the off-season.
“James Peters is coming back from a serious injury,” he said.
“Tom Burnside has shown real athletic ability and will be really important this year.
“Jackson McDonald and Harri Rocke have shown leadership, and Ryan Baker and Lachlan Bramble are up-and-coming leaders.
“Ben Ronke tested well last week and he played senior football last year. He was part of St Bernards premiership side.
“He is a big-bodied boy who may play a few games in the VFL.”
Like in previous years, the Cannons won’t appoint a captain and instead will rotate the position.
“We have 12 players in the leadership group and we’re working closely with them,” Johnston said.
“We’ll have a different captain each week and announce a captain at the end of the regular season if we’re lucky enough to play finals.”
Johnston said the club had about half a dozen players in the Vic Metro under-18 squad, including Burnside, Mitch Lewis and Jack Reaper.
