By Trevor Jackson
AS the reigning premiers, Kalangadoo has a target on its back, as it did last Mid South East football season.
This that increases as the club chases a three-peat of success.
Alex Lyon remains at the helm as coach and is keen to get the season underway.
After an off-season incident, Mitchell Lowe will be utilised as assistant coach, with the hope to play some football later in the season, while Sam McManus will be captain.
According to Lyon not too much has changed, with Sam Casey moving to West Gambier, but a big in will certainly have the Magpies faithful up and about.
Michael Kreiger is back from Casterton and it is fair to say the coach is pleased with that inclusion.
“We are very happy to have him back, culturally and for his footy,” Lyon said.
“Most importantly we are pleased just to get him back home.”
Kreiger will certainly have an impact up forward for the Magpies, as he looks to add another leading goal kicker to his list of achievements.
Lyon said training had been a slow burn early, but is now in full swing.
“The boys are chirping at the bit now,” he said.
“We are really excited for Round 1 and have had good representation in pre-season from the A Grade players.”
Lyon said he learnt a lot from last season, regarding when to peak and when not to expect too much.
“Last season we managed to peak at the right time,” he said.
“We had a very new group, but this year it should be similar.
“It all looks good on paper, what you want to try to execute, but it doesn’t always happen that way. “I was tearing my hair out last year at times, but it was a good lesson to not expect perfection too early.”
The Magpies could rightly be considered the best team in the competition at the moment, with two premierships on the trot, but Lyon does not necessarily see it that way.
“I feel like our footy last year, in the home-and-aways, was not any better than Port MacDonnell or Hatherleigh,” he said.
“We just played good footy in the finals.
“You could have chucked a coin up in the grand final … it was just two desperate sides going at it.”
Lyon also noted the performance of a couple of young Magpies who he has high hopes for.
“I am excited about the development about a couple of our young blokes – Connor Gentile and Nate Von Stanke,” he said.
“They have had good pre-seasons and we are excited about that and how they go.”
Kalangadoo will be tested from the opening round, with the first outing up against Port MacDonnell.
The Demons fell out of the race last season in the finals series and will certainly want to kick 2024 off on a good note.
“We have a pretty tough schedule,” Lyon said.
“We have Port MacDonnell and Mount Burr will be reinvigorated with Clint (Gallio).
“We have a night game against them in Round 2, then Hatherleigh at home and Robe away.
“They could be the four contenders and possibly Glencoe as well.
“We have a good challenge to start the season, but as long as we are hitting our straps by July, we should be right.”
