Warburton Millgrove FNC – 2022 Season Preview

Training hard and being a competitive force in Division Two is what Warburton Millgrove Football Netball Club are all about in season 2022.

With 30 – 40 players regularly turning out for pre-season training in the football department thus far, the Burras are looking ahead to an exciting year of improvement and competitiveness where they hope to be on the verge of success.

Former player James Iacono returns as senior coach and his influence on the senior group has paid dividends already as they attempt to smarten up for this season.

“Iacono’s appointment to the senior coaching role was a no-brainer when the position was vacant,” said new club president Steve Noonan.

“He reviewed the list at the end of last season, identified the deficiencies and recruited accordingly to fill the voids.

“He is very thorough with his work in not trying to reinvent the wheel with the game plan, but the need to keep it simple and make sure everyone performs their role.”

The Burras have gone on a recruiting spree over the off-season, picking up the likes of Brady Mitchell, Brayden Woolridge, Mitch Gordon, Jack Farrugia and Mitch Bonuda to name a few.

All have been impressive thus far and added a lot of depth and talent to fill the gaps of what was missing last season.

In the netball department, it’s all about consolidating efforts, continuing to develop on their strong form and again set their sights on being a strong force in Division Two.

Natalia Petrucev will take charge of the A & B Grade sides, while Selina Fotia and Leah Ashton will coach the C & D grade sides respectively.

With a magnificent 41 players committed across the four senior teams, the Burras will add a 17 & Under side to promote future growth and development of new netballers coming through, with Anita and Alex Woods to coach the group.

Shae Gee and Ashlyn Elliott join the A Grade side this season to provide extra support.

As the club gets set to play 18 games and face their opponents three times each, Noonan is anticipating a long year, but is up for the challenge.

“Given we are starting the season early and finishing deep into August, it’s going to be a long journey, but we are up for the task,” he explained.

“We are excited, our ground and the entire facility is the best it’s been for a long time and we are looking forward to what we can do this year.”

From an on and off-field perspective, Noonan hopes to make great progress with his club from a future proofing perspective, while ensuring all teams are playing to the best of their ability and prove to be competitive.

“Off-field, we will keep doing what we’re doing, but also start to think more about long-term projects and goals concerning the club,” he said.

“On the playing arena, our netball teams will continue with their program to achieve excellence.

“The football teams on the other hand will need to follow their lead and not leave a stone unturned in trying to be a successful team in Division Two.”