By Josh Ward
After a promising return to Division One in 2021, Mitcham have looked to bolster their stocks ahead of an intriguing 2022 season.
Returning to the second tier of the EFNL last season, they finished sixth with a 5-6 record in a tight Division One.
The Tigers shot out of the blocks, knocking off Wantirna South, Montrose and Upper Ferntree Gully in the opening three rounds, before falling back to the pack in the latter half of the season.
Senior coach Neil Winterton said that his team had been training well this offseason after COVID ended 2021.
“Obviously with last season being cut short the boys are pretty keen to get back into it, so they’ve been training at a really high standard and all the boys have bonded really well,” Winterton said.
It’s been a busy pre-season not just on the training track, but on the trade front too.
The Tigers have bought in six players, three of which come from Premier Division club Balwyn, as well as two from Division One strugglers Upper Ferntree Gully.
One of those signings from the Kings is star forward Tom Lovell.
The ex-Oakleigh Charger is coming off a career best season in 2021 (21 goals in 11 games) and will form a potent duo with Jake Parente, who was a class above for the Tigers when returning from injury halfway through the year.
Winterton said the Tigers excited about having Lovell and Parente in the same forward line following the season’s they had last year.
“To have both of them in the same forward line is certainly an appetising prospect, it’s certainly going to cause a few headaches for the opposition defenders,” Winterton said.
Winterton also said that the three ex-Balwyn players (Jack Kimber, James May & Harry Veitch) have brought the higher training standard from their previous Tiger den across with them.
“Their training habits are engraved in them,
“They train hard, they get to every session, they put the work in,
“You can see when they’re out on the track they’re quality players.”
Versatile tall Sam Cougle also joins them from Mid Gippsland club Yarragon, with Winterton excited about what he brings to the side.
“He’s looked really impressive on the track; he’s worked really hard, and I’ve got no doubt he’s going to be able to have an impact for us as well.”
However, the Tigers have lost one key cog of their machine in Winterton himself, with the league champion hanging up the boots after a remarkable playing career.
“I think it was time up for me, I played enough footy and am looking forward now to concentrating on coaching.”
And whilst the Tigers are aiming for finals, Winterton is aware that it’ll be a challenge to make Division One finals this year.
“It’s a pretty open division, historically it has been, and I think this year it’ll be no different, certainly a number of clubs have recruited heavily,” he said.
“At this stage we’ll be aiming to play finals and see how we go from there.”
It’ll will also be the start of a new era down at Walker Park this year as well, with Mitcham set to field their inaugural women’s side in 2022.
They’ll be led by Reece Thomas, who joins the club after a successful four-year stint with the Chirnside Park Masters side.
Thomas said whilst he was pursued by other clubs, it “struck a chord” when Mitcham approached him for this role.
“For me it’s an honour to coach and be a leader within the club. I feel really privileged to have this role,” Thomas said.
The Tiger women have done well on the recruiting front, with a few on the Eastern Ranges list joining them. Ex-Eastern Ranges ruck Jess Grace is one who has come aboard this year.
“She’s a very commanding presence on the ground, like a general already,
“You see her at training and she’s already directing traffic,” he said.
However, Thomas is just as excited about how well every player in the women’s side will go.
“Their energy to learn, grow, connect and all move in the one direction as a new team, which is really a blank canvas, and create a brand, is pretty exciting.”
Thomas will focus mainly on developing the chemistry and the culture of this new side in their debut season.
“The early signs are that we’re building a team, we’re building a brand that I think the girls will be proud of, the club will be proud of and the community.”
“They just can’t wait to play, and I can’t wait to get these girls on the ground to play a game.”