SOUTH Bendigo co-coach Jack Fallon says the Bloods are embracing the heightened expectations following an ultra-exciting BFNL pre-season on and off the field.<\/p>\n
The Bloods, who kick off their 2025 campaign against Strathfieldsaye at Harry Trott Oval this Saturday, will enter the season with a vastly new-look lineup compared to the one that won just four games last year and ended the season in seventh place.<\/p>\n
No club was likely more active on the recruiting front than South Bendigo, starting with a pair of new coaches, with Troy Coates making<\/p>\n
the move from Kerang, where he enjoyed multiple-premiership success, and Jack Fallon returning to the BFNL after savouring flag success at White Hills last year as co-playing coach.<\/p>\n
The talent pool has been significantly bolstered by the additions of \u2013 among others \u2013 ruckman Macgregor Cameron, midfielder Josh Nitschke, from Kerang, Joel Swatton (returning following a stint at Maryborough), Kaiden Antonowicz, ruckman Callum Crisp, Hayden Geddes and Tom Brereton.<\/p>\n
Pleasingly for the Bloods, Cameron, Nitschke and Swatton were among the standouts from their three practice matches against Moama, Kyabram and Mount Pleasant.<\/p>\n
Fallon said the injection of fresh and returning faces had contributed to the positive vibe around South Bendigo.<\/p>\n
“It’s exciting. I actually come along to days like this with a smile on my face knowing what the club has built,” he said at last Friday’s BNFNL season launch in Bendigo.<\/p>\n
“For Troy and me to have recruited what we have and to assemble the group we have, it’s going to be a very exciting year ahead.<\/p>\n
“I know we have a very tough first five games coming up, but you want to beat the best to be the best.<\/p>\n
“Strath in round one, they were obviously in the prelim last year; Gisborne lost the grand final last year, and we have them in round two; and Eaglehawk on Anzac Day.<\/p>\n
“It’s a tough few weeks, but every team in the BFNL looks like shaping up well. There will be no easy games this year.”<\/p>\n
The Bloods’ Anzac Day match will now be played under lights at the QEO, after originally being fixtured at Harry Trott Oval. Fallon \u2013 a best and fairest winner at his former BFNL club Eaglehawk in 2018 \u2013 could not speak highly enough of the new coaching partnership with Coates.<\/p>\n
“You couldn’t ask for a better co-coach,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I did it with Kaiden (Antonowicz) last year and he was really good, but to have the experience Troy has got is amazing.<\/p>\n
“He has won so many flags and obviously I am coming off one last year. We are gelling together so well; not one fight yet, which is nice.<\/p>\n
“We agree on everything. Credit to the club for the way they went about getting us both together.<\/p>\n
“It was superb.”<\/p>\n
Fallon is confident the Bloods can give a good early account of themselves against the Storm on Saturday.<\/p>\n
“Selection for round one will be interesting,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I reckon we have around 28 players who could play in the seniors in round one.<\/p>\n
“It’s going to be tight and tough, but if the club and the team want to be strong, it has to be like that.<\/p>\n
“I’m excited by what’s ahead.”<\/p>\n
In other round one match-ups, Golden Square hosts Eaglehawk at Wade Street, Kangaroo Flat and Gisborne clash at Dower Park,<\/p>\n
and Sandhurst and Castlemaine meet at the QEO.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SOUTH Bendigo co-coach Jack Fallon says the Bloods are embracing the heightened expectations following an ultra-exciting BFNL pre-season on and off the field. The Bloods, who kick off their 2025 campaign against Strathfieldsaye at Harry Trott Oval this Saturday, will enter the season with a vastly new-look lineup compared to the one that won just […]<\/p>\n