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Learning Year Ahead For New Cubs At Lionheart

Preview 2019 - Taylors Lakes


NO team in the entire EDFL is entering the new season having undergone more significant change than Taylors Lakes.

The Lions were left with a coaching vacancy well into the pre-season after Sam Tankard decided to walk away and it wasn’t until mid-January when the Lions had announced his replacement.

Charles Cuzzupi accepted the task of getting Taylors Lakes’ 2019 preparations back on track and describes his transition into the club as “pretty professional”.

“We’re consistently averaging 53 to 55 players at training and their response from the word go was sensational,” Cuzzupi told essendondfl.com.au.

“We do have a very young group at the moment, and I see that as a positive.

“Although I started late, we’re looking to develop from within and give plenty of guys opportunities to prove themselves and then hopefully grow.”

The new coach has a very new playing list at his disposal, with more than a dozen new recruits expecting to have an impact at senior level this year, while Division 1 Team of the Year ruckman Matthew Dalla-Libera and quality midfielder Luke Hodgkin are among some of the key departures.

Given that amount of significant turnover, Cuzzupi admits that Season 2019 is not about achieving overnight success for his side.

“We’ve got a vision and we understand that it’s a three-to-five-year plan,” he explained.

“I want to make sure there’s stability post my time at the football club and part of that is building a team and a culture that provides sustainability moving forward.

“With the way that football is going, it’s a very quick game and each year it gets quicker, it doesn’t matter what division you’re in.

“If we can get this young list that we’ve got playing together for three or four years, when they hit the ages of 24 to 26, they’ll start to play their best football and if we are in a position where we’re going into Premier Division, we’ll have some good, seasoned bodies ready to go.

“Our plan is to get this list playing a brand of football that will hold up in Premier Division and we might have a few setbacks this year, but we have to start somewhere.”

Many of Taylors Lakes’ new recruits are 23 or younger, meaning Cuzzupi is expecting to encounter some teething issues early in the season.

While making the finals would be ideal, Cuzzupi is treating 2019 as more of a learning year for his new group.

“The exciting part about having young kids on your list is they’ll play on instinct and with a little bit of flare and if they make mistakes, they’ll have our support,” he said.

“That’s the best way kids learn.

“If they don’t make mistakes then they’re not going to learn, so they know they’re allowed to make mistakes and we’re going to back them in and with those mistakes.

“We’ll take the learnings from them and keep developing the list.”


RECRUITING

In: Jason Emsley (defender, Cove), Angelo Mercado (midfielder, Caroline Springs), Nathan Franzi* (key position, East Keilor), Alex Metcalfe (defender, Sunshine), Matthew Caserta (midfielder, Sunshine), Trent Forbes (defender, St Bernards), Jake Busuttil (defender, Burnside Heights), Harrison Tanner (midfielder, Altona), Lachlan Tanner (midfielder, Altona), Will Brunt (forward/midfielder, Maffra), Joel Tully (defender, Highett), Bailey Tatnell (defender, Woodside & District), Nick English (forward, Dunnstown), Mark Polycarpou (midfielder, Albion), Scott Polycarpou (forward, Albion) & Torey Larizza (forward, Eltham)

Out: Matthew Dalla-Libera (Port Melbourne Colts), Anthony Longo (St Albans), Luke Hodgkin (Wodonga Raiders) & Joseph McGrath (Charlton)

*Transfer pending


2019 DRAW

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