Albion is working hard to ensure it does not get left behind the other Western Region Football League division 1 clubs.
Relatively smaller clubs such as Albion can struggle financially at times, but the Cats are up for the fight.
The Cats will hold a debt demolition day on February 3, which they hope will go some way to erasing outstanding debts and allow them to maintain competitiveness in the top tier.
For Albion vice-president Maty Bettin, the cause is close to his heart.
Not only is he a board member, he is also a former junior at the club, learning the basics from the age of five before going on to have a glittering junior career and following an elite pathway.
“I went on to captain the Western Jets, played Geelong reserves for a year and then I went back to Williamstown and back to Albion,” Bettin said.
“To me, it’s where I’ve been brought up and it’s a family club.
“I don’t want to see it going backwards and that’s why I’ve put my hand up this year to be the vice-president, have some input and hopefully make some change for the long term.
“There’s a lot of people that want to have their say, but not too many people want to actually put in the hard yards and make a difference.
“We need to get as many people to the debt demolition day as possible.”
Albion will have former Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell as its guest speaker at the debt demolition day.
Maxwell will talk about his rise from the rookie list to premiership captain of the Magpies, as well as his transition into business after his football career.
The Cats will charge $50 entry to the event which will include a local band to play, live and silent auctions, raffles and games.
“Hopefully, we can get all of our past players to get along and make it a good day,” Bettin said.
Albion will be led by player-coach Chris O’Keefe again in 2018.
The Cats have appointed Lloyd Balshaw as their new reserves coach.
“Lloyd’s experience was what we were looking for in a reserves coach,” Bettin said.
“We’ve got a lot of young kids coming through our junior ranks … they need that hardness and discipline that Lloyd will bring.”
