Tara Murray
It will be a new looking Taylors Lakes in the Essendon District Football League division 2 this season.
The Lions have been busy adding players to the squad as it aims to play finals this season.
Coach Steve Burns said there would be a fair few changes this season.
“We have 11 or so recruits and five or six returning players,” he said.
“We’ve only lost two players from the senior side from last season which is pretty good. It’s been a really strong solid pre-season from the boys and we believe we will be right in the mix.”
Burns said with so many new players, the challenge was firstly figuring who players where, but then the players learning to play together.
Samuel Kosmak, Jake Toa, Jack Burns, Raaf Rachrache, Mitch Jones and Aaron Vendramini are among some of the new signings.
“The practice matches start this weekend,” he said last week.
“It’s all good and well going well on the track, but in game situations they have never played together before.
“We won’t get to know this until we get through the practice games and the early part of the season.”
Burns said while many of their recruits are in the 22-23 age bracket they bring more experience to the group.
He said they hope that will help in close games. Last season they lost four games under two goals and drew another game, finishing in sixth.
Burns said they would be a better side this season.
“We feel like we have done everything right,” he said. “We are one of two players short of where we want to be.
“But we’ve had one preseason and it’s been a really good start of what we want to set up and returning to be a division 1 club.
“The group has taken on board everything w have thrown at them. The expectation is there will be a level of improvement.
“Where that takes us I don’t know, We definitely want to play finals, but it’s an even division.”
