With pre-season training about to start, Albanvale president Jason Curmi has a message for his premiership-winning Cobras: “Get ready for a battle every week.”
The Western Region Football League club claimed the division 3 flag six weeks ago and, as well as the silverware, earned promotion to division 2.
Now the club is preparing to go up against the likes of finals contenders North Footscray, West Footscray, Yarraville-Seddon and Caroline Springs.
“There will be no easy games,” Curmi warned. “Last year, you could pencil in a game that you knew you were going to win. This year, every week is going to be a test no matter who we’re playing.
“Some of the games were really lopsided last season.
“We need to make sure we front up every week ready to go.”
In its bid to be competitive, Albanvale wants to find balance between rewarding players who helped win the premiership and recruiting new faces. The club is aiming to consolidate its position in division 2 in its opening year, and will then be better placed to attack a top-four finish in 2017.
Curmi highlighted more depth in the midfield as the most important area the Cobras need to improve, based on last season.
“We are definitely trying to bring in a few guys; we haven’t got a big budget though,” he said.
“We need a few on-ballers. That division hasn’t been a strength, even last year when we won the grand final. We have some key- position players who are playing on-ball, which isn’t ideal. That’s what we are targeting.”
While it is always difficult for a side that has been promoted to establish itself in a new division, the Cobras are confident their history as a division 2 club will help them make the jump.
Prior to the WRFL becoming a three-division competition in 2014, Albanvale was a long-time finals contender.
Curmi said that experience would prove vital.
“We have always been a division 2 club and it’s not like we haven’t been there before,” he said.
“We’re not kidding ourselves that we are going to be up near the top, but we think we will be better than a couple of sides.”
