On a still and wintry Tuesday night, there is little action or movement out on the Mooroopna Recreation Reserve.
But deep inside the walls of the Cats’ inner sanctum it’s a hive of activity.
Although only half-a-dozen players have arrived to training, two of Mooroopna’s mastermind coaches are only just warming up.
There’s still 45 minutes until the senior footballers begin their session, but these two mentors, who hold Level Three Coach Accreditation, are thrashing out everything from the review, to tonight’s training and the upcoming opponent.
John Lamont and Darren Ogier are in their element.
Yes they might be working, but for them this is their passion.
Bouncing ideas off one another and working together to help improve their pupils.
It is why Lamont and Ogier both have combined coaching experience of almost 50 years in the game.
And in recent years they have instilled their knowledge into the current crop and emerging stars at Mooroopna.
If you are one of the dozen players in the senior side under the age of 21, you soak up the gospel from Lamont and Ogier like a sponge to water.
That’s because the duo know a thing or two about the game of Aussie rules.
Lamont, a former development coach at North Melbourne, coached VFL outfit Werribee for five seasons and led it to two finals appearances.
Ogier, who played 23 games at the highest level, was involved with local NAB League side Murray Bushrangers for almost a decade and was head coach there for six years.
And it seems the kids at Mooroopna are listening.
The Goulburn Valley League outfit sits third on the ladder and is primed to play finals footy for the first time since 2014.
“Our focus is Mooroopna kids; for us it’s not all about winning and losing,” Lamont said ahead of his side’s clash with Rochester in round 12.
“We have got a big core of young locals and four under-18s have debuted this season. We’re in a good position with an 8-3 record and we’ve seen plenty of development in our junior players.”
At the weekend — in the 56-point win over Rochester — Mooroopna had 19 local players don the white-and-blue hoops.
Ethan Hunt, who is one of the three to not play junior footy at the Cattery, turned 20 on Saturday and played with 12 teammates under the age of 21.
Four of those players are under the legal drinking age.
“When a club is in a rebuild mode like we are and you have a rock-solid base of juniors you want to fast-track their development without going overboard,” Lamont said.
“It’s hard to find the balance, but we want to use our experience to help make them better footballers. I’ve been enjoying my time at the club, it’s a really positive environment.”
Lamont highlighted the coaching structure at the club and said he had “plenty of support” from his assistant coaches.
Along with forward coach Ogier, the Cats’ senior coaching panel consists of midfield coach Jason Whittaker and backline mentor Travis Waters.
Ogier and Lamont both boast Level Three coaching accreditation, a rarity at not only GV level but throughout country football clubs.
Ogier, whose daughters play netball at the club, jumped on board ahead of the 2021 season.
Unlike the raft of young men he coaches, Ogier is an “outsider” and grew up in Melbourne before moving to Katamatite in 2003.
Once Ogier’s playing days for Carlton, North Melbourne and Sydney came to a close he struck up an assistant coach role at VFL club the Northern Bullants.
His shift to the Goulburn Valley came next and after a brief stint coaching Katty, he landed at the Bushies — first as an assistant before taking on the senior coach role.
The pull of the city caught Ogier and he spent the latter half of the 2010s in the coaching programs at Melbourne and Carlton.
Hiss arrival at the Cattery came when an old face from a past life came calling.
“The game is in a delicate state at the moment. I’m keen to help out in anyway I can,” Ogier said.
“My daughters played netball here, I’d seen a few games (of footy) and liked what I saw and I also knew John from footy in a past life.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time at the club. Each club has amazing volunteers but I can’t speak more highly about the president Bill Dowling.”
Ogier went on to reveal how him and Lamont first met.
“When I coached at the Bushies, John was at Werribee and we struck up a relationship when a few of the Bushy boys would go and play VFL,” he said.
“It’s been great to work with him, I’ve really enjoyed the past couple of seasons. The education the players are getting from John is second to none. John’s big on using vision, it’s one of the best tools and it’s been outstanding for the players’ development.”
And developed they have.
Young guns Nathan Basile, Isaac Dowling, Dom Gugliotti, Kydan Atkinson, Jed Woods, Darcy Russell, Jack Lear and Oscar Lear-Camci have all flourished into mainstays in the senior line-up.
Forward maestro Chris Nield leads the competition goal-kicking, Lucas Caccaviello adds spark through the midfield while Jack Hunt, Lachie Devine, Ben Hicks, Matt Deane and the Betson boys provide experience and leadership.
Even though his connection with the club’s emerging stars has only been brief, Ogier said the next crop of club stars had grown on him over the past 18 months.
“Getting to know them all has been a lot of fun. I didn’t know Nathan (Basile) was only 18 I thought he was 21,” Ogier said with a laugh.
“I’ve really admired their work ethic and their desire to improve.
“Players like Dom (Gugliotti), Isaac (Dowling), Darcy (Russell), Jed (Woods); there’s a whole bunch there that are under the age of 21 and are getting the best experience ever.
“You’re a much better player when you are 25 than when you’re 18, so everything they are learning now, it’s going to only benefit them in the long run.”
Lamont praised the influence of Ogier on not only the club but himself as a coach too.
“Darren has helped me enormously. He’s coached and played at the highest level and he’s been wonderful for the development of the players,” he said.
“He’s has been a great support for me, but he’s also challenged me (on things) and I think it’s a really great working relationship.”
Mooroopna is now entering the pointy end of the season.
Only six games remain and the Cats are on the cusp of breaking an eight-year break from finals action.
Following the mid-season arrival of former AFL player Jackson Trengove, the excitement is building over at the Cattery.
“The boys are starting to see some of the rewards now. They’re in the second year of the program and they’ve put themselves in the mix but there’s still more work to go,” Ogier said.
“We want to make the club an environment for the boys to take their game to the next level. Every single person has a role to play and they’re just as important as the next.”