While the NTFA season will see no football played before at least July 13, teams are still mentally preparing for their shots at glory.
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In the eighth of a series of previews on the NTFA's division one competition, The Examiner looks at last season's premiers Lilydale, who completed the perfect year by going undefeated.
Coach: Colin Lockhart
Captain: Corey Lockett
2019 finish: Lilydale finished 2019 as the undefeated premiers of division one, defeating St Pats by 49 points in the grand final.
Ins: Nick McKinnon, Matt McKinnon, Jack Hulse, Sam Cooke, Calum Aalbregt (all George Town), Jai Asbury (Victoria), Jack Venn (returning).
Outs: Robert Blair (retired - long-distance running), Jesse Tuckerman.
Who's impressed: "Jai Asbury, a new kid who has joined us, we probably weren't expecting him to be playing seniors but he would have played round one," Lockhart said.
"Shaun Avent probably would have played in the middle round one, he's had a very good pre-season as has Brighton Denman, who looked exceptional with another year older.
"Big Jack Venn, he's played with us before but he missed the whole of last year and he's been up and about and was probably right to go in round one."
OTHER PREVIEWS
Coach says: "We've been challenging the blokes that are in our bottom eight and by adding players to our list who have all fitted in beautifully, there's going to be challenges for senior spots going ahead.
"As normal, we aim for top three because that gives you a pretty good crack at winning a premiership.
"With the ins, we probably have ourselves at a five-goal better side than last year, knowing full well that sides like Bridport, St Helens that have that NEFU fight in them, they'll come at us and Evandale will be a quiet achiever again.
"At the moment, Corey, our captain, has been putting some challenges out there and it's probably that I haven't been bothering them too much because it all boils down to the hunger.
"They were hungry again to win so if we get two weeks or three weeks notice and they go 'bang, we are into it', I just believe it will be the hunger and with the talent and the depth we've got [we will be fine].
"We always start sluggish, I've never known a Lilydale side to come out in a season absolutely firing, so I just think it will be the work rate and willingness to compete and that's what I've driven into them for five years.
"You've got to compete. If you can't compete, there's no use playing footy.
"The biggest thing in this time is our committee. They haven't had a rest as they still have to run the club, do the official stuff and try to keep money flow coming into the club as we still have to pay power bills and we've got stock now going out of date, so we have to try and recoup some funds to keep the club going."
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