Newly-installed solar panels at Barnawartha Football Club are one step towards being more sustainable off the field, but they've taken steps to be more self-sustaining on the park as well.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The electricity bill is going down but they’re getting plenty of spark from a core of home-grown players, who have guided the club to a 3-0 start to the season.
Beyond the trio of Adam Elias, Josh Scammell and Daryl Webb, who take up a combined 10 players points, the rest of the best 22 counts for just 19.
Of that trio only Webb, a former Ovens and King best and fairest in 2005, hadn’t pulled on the yellow and back before.
Elias returned to Barnawartha this season after an injury-riddled year with Lavington, while Josh Scammell returns after playing juniors for Wodonga Raiders.
His father Phil Scammell is a life member of the club.
The Tigers are one of three teams to enjoy a perfect start to the season, and president Chris Peirce is pleased with the results senior coach Peter Cook been able to get out of the club’s younger players.
“We certainly picked up a few over summer, the Star boys came back, a lot of people returning,” he said.
“The whole idea of the points system was to retain your juniors and create a culture people would want to come back to.
“It puts us in situations where a 17-year-old like Connor Wiffen can come in for his first senior game and play well.”
Peirce is hoping that trend can continue in the years to come, with the Tigers benefiting from strong numbers across all grades.
A mixed bag of a season saw them win eight games and lose nine in 2017, part of a fringe group that just missed the top five alongside Yackandandah, Tallangatta and Beechworth.
“We’re pretty content, we looked at our record last year and picked up some good players, but the improvement has come from within,” Peirce said.
“We’ve got decent depth, but importantly really good numbers across the board.
“We’ve got more than 60 on the books for seniors, 25 in the thirds and 25 in the fourths.”
The Tigers could potentially be bolstered further, with the likes of Tim Price and Paul Harrington unavailable early in the season.
Saturday’s match-up against Dederang-Mt Beauty will be interesting, with the Bombers winning two of their first three.
Elsewhere, Chiltern take on Kiewa-Sandy Creek, Mitta face Thurgoona, Wodonga Saints tackle Rutherglen, Tallangatta face Beechworth and Wahgunya hosts Yackandandah.
It puts us in situations where a 17-year-old like Connor Wiffen can come in and play his first senior game and play well.
- Chris Peirce