James Murphy
WITH the 2022 Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football season only a few short weeks away, the Penola Footbal Club will strive towards better results this year.
The Eagles found themselves flying low to the ground in the A Grade competition in 2021, posting just three wins and finishing the minor rounds above wooden-spooner Kybybolite on percentage alone.
The Reserves side tasted more success, finishing second on the ladder before it was knocked out in the first semi-final.
Both teams will strive for improved results this season, with a keen focus on developing the junior players in their ranks.
Marcus Devereux returns to the helm of the football club as president this year and hopes for a good season with minimal impact from Covid.
“We are all ready to go to hopefully have a cracking season and getting everyone out playing football with no Covid interruptions would be nice,” he said.
This will be Devereux’s fifth year in the president role, but he has revealed it will also be his last.
“With a young family and everything I have decided I will try to help someone else into it this year and get them to learn the ropes,” he said.
“I will stay on the committee, but this will be my last year as president.”
When asked what to expect from Penola this season, Devereux said there will be a lot of focus on the junior players and building the future of the club from within.
“We have a lot of youth and we are pretty keen to see the development of the local players we do have in the younger bracket,” he said.
“That is probably what we are going to base this year on, rather than winning and losing.
“You want to win games, but as long as we get the development out of the kids coming through, I think as a club we will be happy.”
Brock Egan takes over the reins as A Grade playing coach this year from Tony Porter and Devereux said he has had everyone working hard at training in preparation for the first bounce on April 23.
Looking at player movements and Brad Crabb will be a big out, as he returns to Kangaroo Island to play in 2022.
His absence leaves a hole in the leadership group and his presence on the ground will be sorely missed.
Both Harry and Darcy Porter have also left the club, moving to Adelaide and Melbourne respectively, with the latter furthering his football career as he joins the Carlton VFL list.
That will put a hole in the Penola midfield, as the two promising youngsters move on to bigger things.
However, it is not all bad news at the Eagles’ nest.
Probably the biggest news for the club is the signing of Robe’s Zac Deane for the 2022 season.
Deane finished the 2021 Mid South East football season with 36 goals for the Roosters and will lend his versatile talents to the Eagles this year.
Another notable recruit is Jacob Pfitzner, who has returned home following a year at Port MacDonnell and he will be a big inclusion into the senior side.
He will be joined by Drew Clayfield, who has returned to the club after a two-year stint travelling in the United Kingdom and will be another leader for the young faces in the team.
Devereux said while the club could use a couple more recruits, he is hopeful for the A Grade to post a couple more wins this season.
The senior side was still in the race against some of the top teams last year, but will need to work on its finishing to move its way up the order.
While the Reserves side may have players called upon to top up the A Grade roster, Devereux expects the team to remain competitive.
Looking internally, the bi-annual dinner auction will return this year, which will raise valuable funds for some developments at the club.
“That is the biggest fundraiser we run from a club level,” Devereux said.
“It is overseen and run by Darren Maney – he is about to run his 10th dinner auction with the sub-committee he has working under him.
“The last couple have been close to $70,000 nights.
“It is a big event and without Darren and his team we would struggle.”
There are also a few renovation jobs in the pipeline for the club, which are hoped to be started towards the end of the year.
With the football in somewhat of a rebuilding phase, Devereux said he is excited for the club to again turn a keen eye to the success of its netballers.
“When the footballers are going well it is awesome, but the netballers have that different vibe about them,” Devereux said.
“The grand final last year was sensational to watch and to see how many footballers were there watching just shows the club is heading in the right direction as one club and supporting each other which is great.”
