WINCHELSEA has further strengthened its list as it looks to improve on last year’s eight wins in 2023.
The Blues have welcomed backed Tavae Sauni after two seasons with GFNL club Newtown & Chilwell, while fellow former player Baden Remmos has returned after spending a lone season with the Blues in 2019.
Second-year coach Christian Shaw has also recently added Luke Henry, who most recently played with Geelong Amateur.
A St Mary’s junior, he is a cousin of current Winchelsea captain Tom and Geelong duo Jack and Ollie.
Shaw says the early addition of former Geelong VFL, Werribee and St Joseph’s star Brenton Rees after two years at Bellarine club Newcomb helped drive recruiting.
“We made a focus of trying to get someone really early,” he said. “It makes it a little bit easier for next conversation when you’ve got Brenton Rees as the topic of conversation.
“That was really important for us. Anyone who knows Reesy knows he’s a fantastic human being.
“More recently, with Tav and a few others, they’ve naturally followed suit.”
However, leading goalkicker David Tucker and star midfielder Jackson Smith are unlikely to wear the old, dark navy blue in 2023.
Shaw admits they will be hard to replace if they don take the field.
“Tucks is a consistent goalkicker; he kicked 42 goals last year,” Shaw said. “And Jacko’s won three or four best-and-fairests.
“Both blokes in the side make us a lot better.”
The Blues will face BFNL finalists Geelong Amateur, Colac and District club Birregurra, and reigning GDFNL premier Bannockburn as part of its practice match schedule.
Shaw, who started his glittering football career at the Tigers, said he is keen to see how Winchelsea stacks up against the competition’s best ahead of a Round 1 meeting with the Belmont Lions under lights at home.
“The history is there with Bannockburn, and I know the coach (Ron Pilgrim) pretty well – we’re premiership teammates – so it’s an easy conversation,” Shaw said.
“It puts us in a pretty good position to understand where we’re at.
“‘Are we training hard enough? Are we doing the right things? Have we got the right personnel?’
“We’ll know that really early, which is really nice.”
Twitter: @tom_king79
