There are no outrageous promises of premierships next year. But, indeed, there is a strong feeling that the Tigers will rebound to become a strong force in the WAFL competition.
The professionalism, the dedication and general enthusiasm at pre-season training has been of the highest degree. The coaching staff and the players are all pulling in the same direction. There is a positive outlook and a firm belief that 2010 will see Claremont surge up the league premiership table after the side finished in eighth position in 2008 and 2009.
Expectations are high, but there are no rash or over-the-top predictions in a year in which competition for places in both the league and reserves sides will be intense.
The absence of stalwarts Jaxon Crabb (188 league appearances for Claremont), Tom Matson (134) and Trinity Handley (121) will certainly be felt. Crabb and Matson have retired and Handley, at the pinnacle of his career, has accepted the job to head a Clontarf academy in country Victoria.
The loss of this wonderful trio will be offset, to a degree, by the acquisition of Andrew Browne, David Crawford, Ryan Brabazon and Jesse Laurie, as well as the return to the club of Nic Chidgzey, Gabe Orr, James Read and Tom Lee.
Browne, a quicksilver, determined and wonderfully talented midfielder, has been delisted by the Fremantle Dockers after eight years with the club, during which time a series of leg injuries, mainly affecting his hamstrings, have restricted his playing opportunities.
Browne, who has made 27 AFL appearances and 64 for Claremont, will take over the No. 8 jumper from Crabb.
Crawford, a top-class forward who has played 113 league matches for Claremont, is back in Perth after a year working in London and is looking forward keenly to his return to football.
Brabazon, who turns 23 on Boxing Day, has been delisted by the Sydney Swans after four years with that club. Originally from North Albany, Brabazon made three AFL appearances with the Swans.
Curly and fair-haired, Brabazon was a star for the Claremont colts side in 2004 and 2005 before being taken at No. 59 in the 2005 national draft. He won the Jack Clarke Medal as the fairest-and-best player in the colts competition in 2005.
Laurie, a powerfully-built utility player who can be used at both ends of the ground, is back in Perth after a year as a rookie with Port Adelaide. From Denmark, he was a member of the Claremont colts side in 2007 and 2008. He also made two league appearances in 2008.
Lee, tall and athletic and taken at No. 60 by Adelaide in the 2008 national draft, is back in Perth. He was a member of Claremont’s 2008 colts side.
Simon McPhee, who has been reappointed as Claremont’s league coach for two years, has been at the helm during the most impressive pre-season training sessions. His enthusiasm has been infectious. Jeremy Ingham is in charge of strength and conditioning and fitness guru Steve Smith is also helping in his inimitable style.
McPhee has bolstered his coaching support staff with the recruitment of former West Coast Eagles sharpshooter Phil Matera, former North Melbourne, Subiaco and Swan Districts utility player Adam Lange and former East Fremantle, Fremantle Dockers and Claremont midfielder Brad Dodd. Remaining as an assistant coach is former West Perth player Peter Falconer.
Football manager Dean Horsington is full of confidence that the abundance of youth will play a vital part in Claremont’s overall improvement. Ross McQueen will be coaching the reserves and will be assisted by Dale Ballantyne, Trevor Scott and Peter Staples. Former Tigers and Carlton star Wayne Blackwell will be in charge of the colts.
Lionel Lim again will provide his invaluable services as club doctor, Anthony McEvoy remains as the club’s diligent, hard-working and highly-professional physiotherapist and Kate Murdoch will continue as head trainer, with Damian Reeve continuing as league team manager.
Long-serving clubman Ed Coyle has retired as head property man and the club welcomes his replacement Pat Watson, property man for the Fremantle Dockers since the club joined the AFL in 1995.
Ryan Lasscock, former West Perth football manager, joins the Tigers as chairman of selectors and Gavin Cross has accepted the job as the league side’s forward scout.
Remarkably, Claremont will have 17 AFL-listed players available to play for the club during 2010 when they are not required by the West Coast Eagles of the Fremantle Dockers.
Twelve of these 17 players are home-grown Claremont footballers. They are Lewis Broome, Brett Jones, Eric Mackenzie, Pat McGinnity, Ryan Neates, Lewis Stevenson, Tom Swift , Gerrick Weedon and Beau Wilkes (Eagles) and Matt de Boer, Nat Fyfe and Casey Sibosado (Dockers).
The other AFL players available to Claremont will be Beau Waters (Eagles) and Ben Bucovaz, Byron Schammer and Nick Suban (Dockers). Claremont will also have the second pick in the reverse draft for an Eagles or Dockers player with no ties to other WAFL clubs.
Claremont supporters wish all their affiliated AFL players the best of good luck in the national competition. When they are not playing in AFL ranks they will be most welcome at Claremont.
Coaches and players are now enjoying a welcome Christmas break. Full-scale training will resume at Claremont Oval on Monday January 4.
