Season Update with Football Manager Brad Dodd

As we head into our last bye, Football Manager, Brad Dodd gives us a run down on the season to date and progress of the playing group.

Q: After a block of 5 games, how did you see the progress of the group?

It was a bit of a mixed bag where we played some good football in patches but weren’t able to sustain it for long enough. We were disappointing against West Coast and Subiaco, but it just reinforced that we have a little way to go before we can match it with the stronger sides. We had our opportunities against Claremont and Peel but couldn’t execute when we needed to. 

Q: What has been your take on the season to date?

We’ve had a new Coach, Football Department and Coaching group come in and try and revive a club that had lost its way a little. The players have been excellent in trying to lift their own standards and the standards of the whole club. We’re in a far better position than we were 12 months ago but we need to keep striving to get better. 

On the field we have seen emergence of some good young players; players we think will become really good WAFL footballers. It’s important we keep challenging and pushing them to get better and our Senior players and Coaching staff are driving that. 

Q: The Reserves are currently in the Top 5 and fighting for a Finals spot over the last 3 games- how have you seen their progress?

Like most clubs, our Reserves are a very young side still trying to figure it all out. With that comes inconsistency and we were quite patchy through the middle of the season. But we have had a solid last block of games. Our Development coaches have worked really hard with the group and we’ve seen some good improvement over the course of the season. We’ve seen the likes of Zach Jackson, Max Murphy, Tom Monaghan, Michael Tassone and Lachlan Bailey become regular fixtures of the League side having started the season in the Reserves. 

Q: We spoke earlier in the year about the new arrivals to the club. Who has impressed?

We added quite a few players to the playing group, through recruiting, players returning to the club and Colts graduating to the Senior program.

Morgan Davies has played in all of our games and has had a great season. Once he settled in at Half- Back he has become a really important player for us.

Alex Bray, Michael Tassone and Kyle Havelberg came to us from Peel. We haven’t seen the best of Kyle yet, who has missed most of the year with injury. Alex has had a frustrating year with injury as well, but we think he’ll be a staple in our defence going forward. Michael has been excellent, a strong performer in the League on the wing.

Kody Manning has been a great addition- setting the standards for our young forward group. Luke Strnadica has been solid and leads our goalkicking.

Kyle Baskerville and Tom Bennett have had excellent seasons and are starting to increase their output each week.

Q: What are you looking for over the last 4 games?

 I think it’s really important we continue to improve and build on the season to date. We have the youngest squad in the competition but we expect them to continue to strive to get better. Hopefully our Reserves can lock away a Finals spot and the Colts continue their recent good form.