Tara Murray
Keilor Park is hoping to surprise a few sides in Essendon District Football League division 1 this year.
After completing the rags to riches fairy tale last season in division 2, the Devils now face a new challenge in division 1.
Coach Paul Guicas said they were looking forward to the new challenge.
“We’ve had another good pre-season and we’re looking forward to division 1 and giving it a good crack in division 1,” he said.
“We’re looking pretty strong and the demographic of our group is young guys who are 23, 24 or 25 and are mainstays.
“We think that we will surprise a few teams.”
The Devils have been one of the quieter teams in terms of signing announcements.
The club is yet to announce any new signings, while only announcing a couple of re-signings before Christmas.
A clearance for Michael Gatt has been lodged.
Guicas admits they don’t have the resources as some other clubs to bring in a number of big name players.
“We’ve got Michael Gatt from Tullamarine,” he said. “He’s an onballer.
“We’ve picked up a few other guys and hopefully we’ll have one or two more before the season starts.”
The Devils though have lost Damien Cavka. The premiership star is headed back to his junior club Keilor.
Guicas said there’s no hard feelings.
“There was the pull to go back to his old club and playing in a higher division,” he said. “There was the big pull to go home and he loves Keilor.
“He’ll always be a Keilor Park premiership player and we still talk.”
In recent seasons, teams that have come up from division 2 into division 1 have avoided going straight back down.
This season two teams will be relegated from division 1 due to the arrival of Deer Park and St Albans.
Guicas said they weren’t even thinking about just surviving relegation.
“We want to win games,” he said.
“We’ll go there and play Keilor Park football and we’re confident that we will go close to play finals, that’s what we play for.
“We’ve got outstanding young players. It can all change pretty quickly in football, but we don’t want to be a flash in the pan.
“It took us three years to get there and it can change at the drop of the hat, but I’m not going to let that happen.”
The Devils kick off their season on Good Friday against Hillside.
