Tara Murray
Caroline Springs is set to regain a few of its stars following the COVID-19 lockdown break in Western Region Football League division 1.
The Lakers have lost their last three games, but pushed one of the pacesetters, Altona, in their most recent outing.
Lakers football manager Marc Raak said while it was obviously disappointing not to be playing football at the moment due to restrictions, there was a silver lining out of having to sit on the sidelines.
“The one positive out of it is that some of those injured players will return,” he said.
“Will Young is our centre half forward and has been out with an injury. He’s just started training again.
“Brian Lake had a three centimetre tear in his calf. He has been training for a good two weeks by himself.
“There’s lots of players who have had one or two week soft tissue injuries. The rest will be good for them.”
Raak said they had set the players’ individual programs while they were locked down, with regular Zoom chats between the group.
He said they had been focused on keeping the mood positive.
The Lakers currently sit in sixth spot with a 3-4 record.
Raak said they had started to play good football.
“Hopefully we’ll be back playing some games soon,” he said.
“We had those losses, but against Altona, a top two club, we only lost by five points and were moving forward.
“We were starting to hit some form.
“We didn’t have Lake or Young and Jy Lambley our leading goal kicker. There will be pressure on for spots after the break. It’s great position to be in.”
Raak said they need to bank some wins in the back half of the season as they aim for fifth spot and their first finals appearance in the top grade.
The Western Region Football League said in the first week of lockdown that any games missed due to the pandemic would be cancelled not postponed, meaning a shortened season.
Meanwhile, Lakers young gun Cody Raak was left slightly disappointed after not being picked up in the AFL mid-season draft.
Cody has starred with the Lakers, Footscray VFL and the Western Jets this season as he tries to impress recruiters.
Marc Raak said Cody was remaining positive having known it was a long shot to be selected, with only limited picks.
“He knows what he has to do and he has to keep working hard,” he said.
“He got named in the Vic Metro squad which is a real positive for him. He’s hoping to be drafted at the end of the season.”
