Leopold begins its quest to become just the third GFNL club to win a hat-trick of premierships when it meets St Joseph’s in the unfamiliar surrounds of Lorne’s Stribling Reserve on Easter Saturday.
In what is a rare Easter weekend clash for the league, the Polders and Joeys are keen to cash in on the thousands of tourists who flock to the Surf Coast for the four-day break to end the school holidays.
Star Leopold forward Connor Giddings says, despite the departure of master coach Garry Hocking, he expects very little change under new mentor Luke Kelly.
Kelly has arrived at Memorial Park after more than a decade in the AFL system, most recently as an assistant coach with Port Adelaide.
“There’s been minor changes, but the feeling around the club is still very much the same,” star forward Connor Giddings told K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast.
“It’s a pretty hungry group. A lot of young fellas (are) now coming through.
“It (new coach) hasn’t changed too many key things.
“Just little minor changes, which everyone’s got behind and jumped on board.”
GFNL – AT SELECTION – EASTER SATURDAY
Giddings spent the summer living in Darwin, where he played a key role in Southern Districts claiming the NTFL Premier Division flag.
Having made a name for himself as a forward with Leopold, Giddings found himself in the back half of the ground for the Cross.
However, he’s quite content to return to the forward half of the ground with the Polders and leave the likes of Harris Jennings and Trent Thompson to do what they do best in defence.
“I think they should be all right down there; they’re pretty handy defenders,” Giddings said.
“I won’t go disrupting that. I’m happy to stay down forward.”
Leopold will have at least seven changes to the team that won last year’s grand final for the meeting with Joeys.
Gone from the club are Jake Pitt (Albury), Ollie Tate (Torquay), James Edmonds (Port Fairy) and Tev Nofi (Anglesea), Tom Gordon has retired, and Kyle Bumpstead and Riley Stone are unavailable.
Their replacements include Werribee-listed former Geelong West ruck Tylar Watts, and debutants Tait Lunnon-Johnson and Darcy Brislane.
After being squeezed out of the team at the pointy end, Max Annandale, Nic Ash, Daniel Pitcher and Billy Clark have also been named.
St Joseph’s has flagged at least four changes.
Star defender Liam Betson and Geelong VFL-listed Joey Chaplin are among the outs.
However, after getting through the reserves in Opening Round, 2023 Rookie of the Year Hunter Lewis and rebounding defender Luke Webb will make their first senior appearances of the season.
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