By Bruno Visentini
The Coburg Lions will start the 2024 Smithy’s VFL season with plenty of momentum, ending the preseason with a strong record of 3 wins and 1 loss against quality opposition. These results provide plenty of optimism for the season ahead as the team looks to improve on the tough season that was 2023.
Preseason started early for the Lions who got back into it on November 10th and returned from the holiday break on January 8th. A preseason camp was held in Torquay focussed on setting the standards for the year and building connections amongst the team. This, along with the season not being Jamie Cassidy-McNamara’s first crack at being head coach had led to a more organised and calm start to the year and will hopefully set up the framework for an improved Coburg in 2024.
The first hitout against another side came on Friday February 23rd when the Lions travelled to Ikon Park to take on Carlton. The first quarter was far from perfect but nonetheless Coburg lead at the first change with the scores 1.5 (11) to 1.1 (7). Only inaccuracy prevented the Lions from leading by more, but this was quickly rectified in the second term with the Lions scoring 4 goals straight to extend the lead to 15 points at the main break.
Carlton managed to dig their way back into the contest in the third quarter as they narrowed the margin down to a single point at three quarter time which set up a massive final quarter for both sides. However, it was Coburg who managed to inflict more damage on the score board adding 3 goals 3 to Carlton’s 2 goals and the Lions walked away 10-point winners in their first contest of 2024. Defender George Belcher was nominated as best on ground by his teammates in the win.
Coburg 1.5 (11) | 5.5 (35) | 6.5 (41) | 9.8 (62)
Carlton 1.1 (7) | 3.2 (20) | 6.4 (40) | 8.4 (52)
Moving on to neutral territory, the Lions’ second practice match saw them pitted against last year’s grand finalist Werribee in the VFL’s Standalone Carnival at Kinetic Stadium in Frankston on Saturday March 2nd. With the biggest disparity of all matches in the carnival based on 2023 results, this was bound to be a challenging match for Coburg, but not one the team would shy away from.
The first quarter saw the Lions put up a very strong effort with the scores at the first break level at three goals apiece. The game was broken open by Werribee in the second quarter however, as they added 4 goals and 2 behinds to Coburg’s 1 goal 3. The Tigers eased off the gas in the third term only adding 1 goal 1, but Coburg’s inaccuracy kept Werribee ahead as the scores at the final change read Coburg 5.8 (38) to Werribee 8.3 (51).
Unfortunately for the Lions, Werribee once again broke free kicking 4 goals to 1 in the last quarter to run away as 40-point winners. Hugo Bromell was voted Lion of the Round by his teammates.
Coburg: 3.0 (18) | 4.3 (27) | 5.8 (38) | 6.8 (44)
Werribee: 3.0 (18) | 7.2 (44) | 8.3 (51) | 13.6 (84)
It was a short turnaround between games as only five days later, the Lions took on Carlton for the second time this preseason. It was a lower scoring contest this time around which meant every goal would go on to be so much more important within the match, and it was Coburg who once again got out of the blocks more efficiently than the Blues.
The first quarter ended with the Lions ahead by 5 points having kicked 2 goals 1 to Carlton’s 1 goal 2. Majors were even harder to come by in the second term with neither side managing to slot one through the big sticks. Coburg added three behinds, but Carlton were inching closer with their four behinds for the term trimming the margin ever so slightly down to four points.
The third quarter was more of the same, but both sides managed to add another goal as Coburg’s lead stretched back out by a point to lead 3.7 (25) to 2.8 (20) at the final change. Despite Carlton’s best efforts in which they outscored the Lions, they were unable to get back in front and Coburg managed to take home a win by the slimmest of margins to go 2-for-2 against the Blues in the preseason. Tom McKenzie was given the nod as the Lion of the Round by his fellow teammates.
Coburg: 2.1 (13) | 2.4 (16) | 3.7 (25) | 4.10 (34)
Carlton 1.2 (8) | 1.6 (12) | 2.8 (20) | 4.9 (33)
Coburg’s preseason came to a close with a trip out east to Casey Fields to take on the Casey Demons on Saturday March 16th. The Demons fielded a side with plenty of AFL talent, but this wasn’t a challenge the Lions planned to shy away from at all.
Casey were the more dominant force in the first term, but Coburg’s accuracy gave the Lions a fighting chance, only trailing by 9 points despite 5 less scoring shots at the first change. This left the door ajar for Coburg to capitalise and get right back into the thick of the contest, and by half time, the scores were tired at 8.6 (54) apiece.
The third term saw neither team any closer to a win than they were at half time as both teams scored identical amounts and were tied at 9.8 (62) at the final break. For the third time this preseason, the Lions headed into the final quarter with scores very close and would’ve hoped the match would end in the same fashion, a Coburg victory.
Fortunately for the Lions, the last quarter was where they kicked away, kicking 5 straight goals to the Demons’ 2 goals 2 for the term, and ending the preseason with yet another victory, this time by 16 points, and plenty of momentum going into the Round 1 clash against the Sydney Swans at Tramway Oval in Moore Park. Kyle Weightman was picked as the Lion of the Round by his teammates for this match.
Fans wanting to get on board for the 2024 season can purchase a membership from https://cfc.memberjungle.com/ and anyone interested in attending the supporter function to watch the Round 1 match against Sydney at the Sporting Globe Northland can register here.
Bring on the new season!
