The Courier |IT'S been more than 1400 days and close to four years since Smythesdale tasted its one and only success in the Central Highlands Football League.
And while injury kept him out of that 15-point triumph over Skipton in April of 2011, Bulldogs senior coach Stephen Frys is optimistic he can be part of a drought-breaking success this season.
A handful of key recruits has bolstered the side, says Frys, who has taken over arguably the toughest coaching job in the region this season.
Frys was interim coach following the sacking of Glenn Treacy in July last year, which followed a 342-point drubbing at the hands of Bungaree. He now has the position full-time and is declaring a much-improved Smythesdale will take the field in 2015.
"You can't get much worse than last year. Expectations are high, but we are going to be more competitive, that's for sure," Frys said.
"And that's the number one goal for now. Just to be more competitive and the thoughts getting around the club are that we might knock off one or two of the bottom sides if we play well and get everything in place that we are trying to do."
Frys, who admitted he felt the pressure of the senior coaching role, said claiming a breakthrough win would be like winning a grand final for the club.
"It would just mean so much for the club and the community. I'm sure the community is not too happy about being related to the Smythesdale footy club at the moment, just with the results and that," Frys said.
Frys said some of the new recruits, including Tom Nankivell (from Avoca), Leon Fogas (from Clunes), Rylan Rattley (from Southern Eagles) and Brad Dunbar (from Creswick), would help improve the belief within the group.
"The guys that were there last year, they don't know how to win. They just want to get out there, have a kick and be competitive, but these guys we are bringing in have got that more competitive edge and they know what it takes to win games. They are not going to like to lose like we did last year," Frys said.
"There is a really good vibe around the club at the moment, in all areas. Netball has recruited pretty well and we have got some people in more important positions around the club off-field. Everyone is pretty buoyed about the way it is going at the moment."
Smythesdale kick-starts its 2015 campaign with a home clash against Newlyn on Saturday, April 11.
NORTH Ballarat Roosters premiership player Nick Couch has nominated Springbank as his home club for season 2015.
Couch, who played in the VFL flag in 2010, has lodged a clearance from Terang-Mortlake into the Central Highlands Football League.
Springbank coach Terry Simpson said Couch, 27, had been lured to the Tigers through his connections with the club's former Roosters players, including Paul McMahon, Bill Driscoll and Michael Searl, but didn't expect to see much of him in yellow and black due to his committment to the VFL side.