The 2024 season is just around the corner so EDFL Media will be previewing each club heading into Round One. Next, we chat to Sunbury Kangaroos coach Shanon Carroll who provides some insights on their 2024 campaign.
2023: 4th, runners up, (8W, 8L, 119.18%)
Coach: Shanon Carroll
PRE-SEASON FOCUS
"Our biggest focus has been our fitness. Last year we started very slow and it was purely a fitness thing.
"There wasn’t a real need for drastic change for improvement, more a focus to be in game time mentally for longer. Our young bodies have had another season under their belt and starting to gain physical experience."
LIST SHAPE
"Recruiting has been pleasing although like every club we’ve missed out on a couple of targeted players. The overall list is in good shape and much like last year it’s now about gelling together."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
"John Corso, Mitch Streiff, and Brandon Smith have had exceptional preseasons and along with the four Treweek boys, have been at nearly every session.
"Rocco Tripodi and Riley Eales have been very handy pickups and overall the whole list has embraced the gruelling preseason with hunger. I’m really looking forward to seeing Sean Bowden and Liam Jeffrey's development this season. Both are super fit and quick."
2024 OUTLOOK
"Last season we were able to make the club a place people wanted to be at again, so we want to build on that more. Local footy is an outlet for many people and we want it to be our happy place.
"Of course winning games of footy helps with that but what I have seen at the club coming on board last season is people have a genuine care for each other, and I think that really started to show on field in the second half of last season."
ON THE RECORD WITH SHANON CARROLL
The build up to the grand final seemed like it created a swell of enthusiasm and excitement within your young group coming from where they did – was that the nature of the situation they were in at the time or have they brought that through the preseason?
Leading into the finals last season we won 8/11 games and there was a growing belief we were good enough to trouble any side. The biggest thing people started to see from the outside is no matter how far behind we seemed, we would keep coming. Obviously this transpired through the finals series until we ran into a much bigger bodied opponent at the final hurdle.
The guys have embraced that and have let it really drive their preseason which has been pretty solid.
How do you keep the group engaged and focused to ensure the foot doesn’t come off the pedal on any given day considering the depth of the competition would make it more difficult to enter the finals race like you did in 2023?
Keeping the group engaged leading into this season hasn’t really been difficult for myself as the players are really driving each other. We’ve spoken about the evenness of the competition this season and the quality of players other clubs have picked up, but the positive I take out starting last season 0-5 is the players have been through it, experienced the hurt and disappointment with so many close games and have come out the other side knowing that can’t happen again.
I don’t think anyone could reel in a 0-5 start with the quality of teams in this division in season 2024. You have to come to play because you can get blown away in 15 minutes if you’re not on. It’s going to be a ripper!
Shot after the siren to win, who do you want kicking it?
Mitch Streiff
Biggest pest at the club?
Sam Van Taarling
Who might be viewed as the coach's pet?
Blake Tirchett or Dean Halliwell
One opposition player you’d love on your side?
Too many good opposition players!
Flag tip outside of Sunbury Kangaroos?
Taylors Lakes
LODGED TRANSFERS
In: Trent Cranwell (Sunbury), Riley Eales (Sunbury), Thomas Eiszele (Riddell), Brandon Smith (Coomera), Rocco Tripodi (Avondale Heights), Benjamin Cannon (Rupertswood), Andrew Siekai (Maryborough Giants), Mitch Collins (Wandella), Cooper Anson (Jabiru), Timothy Walsh (Gisborne), Nicholas Agnello (Rupertswood), Ethan McDonald (Sunbury), Jake Olivieri (Avondale Heights), Riley Hardiman (East Keilor) & Tyler Morton (Rupertswood).
Out: Rhys Magin (Hinterland Blues), Matthew Arnold (Ballan), Joshua Arnold (Ballan), Jai Pettman (East Sunbury), Brody Watts (Avondale Heights), Jesse Smillie (East Sunbury), Angus Moore (East Sunbury) & Jack Allen (Essendon Doutta Stars).
EDFL MEDIA SAYS
After a remarkable second half of 2023, Sunbury Kangaroos enter 2024 as one of the sides touted to be heading back into Division One. They've lost a couple of handy players but have also brought in a swathe of quality to add to a well-retained list. The Kangaroos should certainly be in the mix for a double chance come the end of the season as they look to go one better than 2023, and they'll be in for a hard contest when they face Taylors Lakes in Round 1.
Ladder Prediction: Double chance.
2024 FIXTURE
