When one door shuts, another window opens.
The Lakers may have been outclassed in the Kyabram District Football League grand final, but it is clear that the side’s premiership window has been flung open.
The young team excelled in 2023, claiming the minor premiership by four points over eventual flag-getters Lancaster.
After the Lakers learned to dance on the big stage, new coach Harley Taylor-Lloyd is determined to see the side tango its way to a premiership in 2024.
After holding a pre-season meeting on Sunday evening, Taylor-Lloyd is confident in his side’s ability.
“I had a pretty good day,” Taylor-Lloyd said.
“We had about 50 people in attendance, so I was very happy with that.
“It’s pretty cliche, but we’ve got the talent in this room (to win the flag).
“I explained to all them that there’s no need to go out and get players.
“We’ve got plenty of development in this side.
“I counted the other night, and we had 12 blokes in that side under 23.”
With a team one step below winning the league all recommitting, Taylor-Llyods focus in the off-season has been strengthening the squad.
The signings of Seymour Football Club’s Ben Tarran, Cain Murray and Scott McMaster will all play critical roles for Seymour in 2024.
“It gives us a couple of quality players for us to use now as a backman,” Taylor-Llyods said.
“Ben obviously kicked a lot of goals this year for Seymour, but I think his best spots across half-back, and Cain can play on a wing and go through the middle.
“Cain’s got silky skills, and he just really didn’t get his chance at the GVL senior level, but I think he’ll excel at the KDFL senior level.
“Scott, he’ll add depth to us. He’s another half-back, but he could play as a key position, maybe take the third tall (position).”
Working with the squad as the assistant coach last year, Taylor-Lloyd has looked at what he can do differently to make that final step.
At the crux of his plans is getting everyone playing in their best positions and improving the weakest links in the chain.
“I’ve always been to the philosophy that your bottom six will win you a final,” he said.
“Your top six win the home-and-away games, but it comes down to your bottom six to win finals.
“We could probably utilise Jonathan More as a ruckman.
“I think that’s his best position. He’s only 20, so he’s still learning.
“Some of these boys are 18, 19, 20, and they’re still more or less kids.
“So your Riley Olds, your Tom Barness, your Will Daltons, these boys could play at GVL level in coming years.
“And then there’s Blake Ezard and Darby O’Brien. They will be required senior players in 2024.
“Blake obviously won the third league medal, and Darby is a great size, still only 17, but he could easily play a key-position role at a senior level.”
The aim of the game is to create healthy competition for places — one will want to play well if a teammate could easily step in.
With three signings locked in, a couple promoted and four players returning from injury, no-one’s place is guaranteed.
And Taylor-Lloyd’s recruiting drive is not over yet.
“I played at Seymour and I’ve got a lot of boys from Nagambie that went to school in Euroa, so we’ve got connections everywhere, really,” Taylor-Lloyd said.
“I’m in the works of getting a couple of blokes which are based in Melbourne who are trying to relocate this way more.
“There are no superstars or anything that I can tell you about just yet, but I think it’s just depth, which will go a long way to making the reserves better and giving us our bottom six some competition.
“There are three boys that played with us last year that missed out on that grand final that are all rearing to go already.
“We’ll count those as recruits as well.”
Training for the Nagambie Football Club season is on Monday and Wednesday nights.
The women’s football side will train on Wednesday evening under coach Breanna Davison.
Newcomers are encouraged to put on the boots and come and have a kick at Nagambie Recreation Reserve.