By RUSSELL BENNETT
HUNGER, passion, and the desire to put everything on the line for the jumper – these are some of the non-negotiables new Ellinbank and District interleague coach Aussie Jones will demand from his squad this year.
The former St Kilda star has taken the coaching reins of the EDFL side this season – his first in the league as coaching director at Cora Lynn alongside great mate, Cobras premiership coach Travis Marsham.
Jones, who previously coached Narre Warren to two premierships in what is now the South East Football Netball League before taking on stints with the Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup and Bendigo in the VFL, can’t wait to get stuck in to his newest role.
And, despite the EDFL’s strong interleague performances against Alberton and Mid Gippsland in the past couple of seasons, he knows the challenge that lies ahead.
“We won’t be messing around,” he said.
“Maryborough Castlemaine will be doing everything they can to keep their (23rd) spot, and they’ve got some real quality up that way – including a few we looked at while I was at Bendigo.”
The EDFL is currently ranked 24th in the Worksafe VCFL system, forcing them to travel to take on Maryborough on their home deck.
Jones said he didn’t think it would be too hard getting a list of interested players together but warned that the team wouldn’t simply be selected on reputation.
Instead, he indicated those in the strongest form this season would be looked at favourably – adding that “age is no barrier”.
Jones said he wanted everyone in the league to aspire to as high a level as possible – both potential interleague players, and assistant coaches.
It’s expected that a squad of around 25 players will be selected up to three weeks before the game against Maryborough, giving the team as much preparation time as possible.
“The league has performed really well over the past couple of years (at interleague level) but it’s a different league and another one-off game this time around,” Jones cautioned, before adding that Ellinbank fans could expect the side to play an attacking brand of footy, but not at the cost of defence.
“We know that at interleague level the midfields are likely to go head to head but we’ll look at some of their forwards,” Jones said.
“Defence is critical – it’s where games are won and lost.
“This isn’t like the NBA All-Star game.”
Jones said the EDFL would do “everything in its power” to make sure the interleague group would be looked after this year – both when it came to travel and accommodation.
“They’re behind us 100 per cent,” he said.
