Untitled - Norwood Football Club

It is a sad day when the footy finishes for another year.
The sight of council workers taking down the four white
posts for the commencement of the baseball season is
never a pleasing sight.
For supporters, it represents a baron five-month period that
stretches from October, right through to March the following
year. The news reports, articles and general media coverage
lay silent. It is a time when football goes to sleep.
However, for any clubs’ football department, this time is
arguably the most important for the season to come. Players
are sadly told they are no longer required; some retire,
while others throw in the towel – preferring the option of
quick cash in the country. Planning goes into overdrive; the
coaching staff, with the player list at their disposal, analyzes
the areas that need to be improved versus the depth of talent
readily available to them. In most instances, a recruiting drive
begins.
For Norwood, season 2012 brings great promise. The 2012
recruiting drive, headed by head coach Nathan Bassett and
Football Manager Mark Ross, began in earnest following the
shock exit of the League side after the 2011 Preliminary
Final loss to the Woodville Eagles. A need for spreading
midfielders and strong targets in the forward line was
identified.
Enter Jaryd Cachia, Nathan Batsanis and Michael Newton.
Three players the coaching and football department staff
identified as key recruiting targets. Thankfully, all three have
committed to Norwood for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. All
three have been listed at AFL clubs, and therefore understand
the professional requirements of what it takes to become an
elite footballer.
Jaryd is a tough on-baller with good skills on either side of his
body. A product of the TAC Cup, Jaryd made the transition
many under 18 players go through - from high-school
student to full time athlete. “I was rookie listed by Carlton at
the end of 2009” Cachia said. Following the disappointment
of being delisted by the Blues, Jaryd saw the SANFL as
the perfect opportunity to play at the highest level. “I still
wanted to play the best football I could outside of the AFL”,
he added. “I’m ecstatic that I have the opportunity to play for
such a proud club in Norwood.”
Nathan hails from the successful Port Melbourne VFL side. A
team that went through the 2011 season undefeated, Nathan
formed an integral part of the premiership winning midfield.
After achieving the ultimate in team success, he craved a
new challenge. “I played in the SANFL (he was rookie listed
by Port Adelaide in 2007) previously, and it was always in
the back of my mind to come back. The
professionalism, the crowds – it was all
really appealing to me,” Batsanis said.
Another motivating factor was Norwood
coach, Nathan Bassett. “Nathan played
a big role in my decision to play for
Norwood. My ambition is to return to
the AFL, and I feel that under Nathan,
Norwood provides the right environment
for me to do so.”
Following the finals exit in 2011, a glaring deficiency identified
in the Norwood set up was the lack of strong marking targets.
Michael Newton is no stranger to taking big contested
marks. In 2007, Newton took home the AFL’s mark of the
year award. After seven years on Melbourne’s list, Michael
has made the pilgrimage to the Parade. “The professional
I want to win a flag for Norwood... I
want to be a part of a successful team
Nathan Batsanis
environment of the football club impressed me. The history
and tradition of the club really appealed to me also. It is like
the Melbourne Football Club; it is a club you want to play for,’
said Newton. Originally from country Victoria, ‘Juice’ as he
is affectionately known to his teammates, played in the TAC
Cup for the Murray Bushrangers. After a successful junior
career, he was selected with pick 43 in
the 2004 AFL National Draft.
While all three have tasted finals
football in the VFL, their desire for
team success at Norwood is evident.
‘I want to win a flag for Norwood’,
Batsanis declared. Cachia dreams
of an SANFL premiership, ‘I want to
be a part of a successful team’. And while team success is
important, there is also a desire for the spectacular. With a
cheeky grin on his face, Newton quipped, ‘I wouldn’t mind
taking a couple of hangers as well!’
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