PLAYER CHANGES
Ins: Corey Avola (Whittlesea), Cody Ball (Craigieburn), Jesse Nelson, Dale Keenan (Wallan), Shanyn Kearney (Broadford), Cody Lorenzi (Seymour), Elliot Kynaston, Dylan Hoysted (Epping), Jesse Jones (Colbinabbin),
Outs: Daniel Clarke, Tim Karolidis (Tallygaroopna), Kasey Duncan (North Heidelberg), Mitch Tobin (Diamond Creek), Travis Muir, Ryan Lambert (Nagambie).
Avenel enters the 2023 season following a major change in the off-season.
One of the club’s favourite sons and coach of the past five seasons, Kasey Duncan, has departed and incoming mentor Matthew Huy steps in to take his place.
But any thought that Avenel, one of the premier outfits in the competition, will drop off this year following the off-season departure of Duncan can be quickly erased off the back of the club’s player retention and recruiting.
Huy has brought a number of skilful talents, headlined by Corey Avola, the brother of star on-baller Braydon, to the club to suit his side’s game plan and style.
“We’ve been able to bring in a handful of recruits but we lost a bit of experience,” Huy said.
“We’ve added some youth and speed which will complement the way we want to play. We know we’ve got some work to do ... there seems to have been a good buy-in over pre-season.”
Avenel, which went out in straight sets last year, will look to take the next step in 2023.
“Our goal is to play finals and hopefully improve on last year. It’s a different brand of footy (in finals),” Huy said.
“Kasey (Duncan) did great things and there’s a lot of respect from the playing group, but they now feel a new lease on life and they’ve been working hard.”
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