This time a decade ago, Jeromey Webberley was settling into life at the Richmond Football Club in Melbourne.
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This year, a unique set of circumstances has forced the 32-year-old's Clarence to set up a temporary home at the Richmond Football Club in Tasmania's south-east.
Informed in May that they would be unable to play home games at Bellerive Oval due to goalpost complications, the Roos found refuge in the topmost corner of Clarence City Council's borders.
Webberley's young side will play six games at Richmond throughout the season - starting with a round three clash against Glenorchy - and the fourth-year TSL coach believes the move could well be beneficial.
"We're obviously disappointed that we can't be on [Bellerive], but we're delighted that we found a home out at Richmond and we thank the Richmond Footy Club and the council for their support," Webberley said.
"They've done a power of work behind the scenes to make sure we can move our club here so we are rapt to be out here.
"I've often said [Bellerive] is probably the most neutral ground in the state, everyone wants to play there and with the stand around it now there's not too much wind, the elements don't get at it.
"It's pretty neutral in terms of home ground advantage, however I think at Richmond we could gain some home ground advantage out of that as it a bit of a different playing surface, so we'll have a tinker with a few things in our gameplan to see if we can suit Richmond."
The Roos were handed a seven-goal defeat at Lauderdale last weekend as the youth-heavy squad continues to find its feet.
Webberley said his young side had promise, but would take time to develop.
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
"We've got a lot of guys in the same boat who have played 10 to 30 games of TSL footy," he said.
"Can they play TSL senior footy? They can, but it's getting them to that above average level that just takes time.
"You can't click your fingers and Jack Preshaw becomes a Taylor Whitford in the competition, it just doesn't happen like that.
"You watch them at training and think 'these blokes are going to be so good', but we can't expect them to be that good for another two or three years yet.
"So it's quite exciting because you know what's coming, but it also can be a bit frustrating because you want it now."
Hamish Geale
Hamish Geale is a senior reporter at The Examiner. Got good news? Email: hgeale@examiner.com.au
Hamish Geale is a senior reporter at The Examiner. Got good news? Email: hgeale@examiner.com.au
