By Nick Creely
“I don’t know anyone that doesn’t want success, or to be successful, and we don’t want to be known as a one-off.”
That’s the message Berwick premiership coach Stewart Kemperman has for anyone questioning whether the Wickers still have the hunger and motivation for another tilt at a 2018 flag.
The Wickers are already 1-0 after taking care of a highly touted Beaconsfield side on Saturday, and Kemperman explained that hunger is not an issue for a club trying to write the next chapter of its story.
“Our club’s been around for 134 years, and we’ve only gone back to back once, so there’s that other motivating factor – if the team gets it right this year and the coming years, this Berwick side could be known as the best the club’s ever seen,” he said.
“When you step back and have a look at that, it’s a real opportunity, and one they’re capable of.
“I can understand people questioning our hunger, but you never get tired of the challenge or else you wouldn’t play the game.”
It couldn’t have been scripted better for Kemperman, who got through his first year as a senior coach with a premiership medallion around his neck.
But he won’t rest on his laurels, and is always adapting to the game, all with one eye firmly fixed on keeping the Wickers one step ahead of the competition.
“I’m fascinated by the All Blacks, they’re the most successful team in history, and a few of the things they’ve done has stuck, if you get to the top, you need to change.
“You can’t write the same story again, and you shouldn’t try to either.
“We aren’t throwing a lot out, we had a great recipe last year, but we’ve got a new group of players that’ll line up, which is exciting – we’ll be similar, same same but different – the fundamentals remain the same.”
The Wickers have brought in former junior Travis Tuck – who also played 20 AFL games with Hawthorn – and will be led by superstar Madi Andrews and his deputy, Bryce Rutherford, in a list that bats as deep as any.
“He (Tuck) has been building well through the pre-season – he’s such a big competitor with a big frame, and he does the simple things really well and often, and doesn’t shy away from the hard work,” Kemperman said.
“He’s a really good example of the younger players coming through about how to go about it.”
And as coach, Kemperman believes his first year in charge of the club – which was also a learning year for him – has opened his eyes to how to manage players and get the best out of everyone involved within the club.
“You get to know players, and what makes them tick, and going in new I guess you don’t know a lot about individuals, and what they can and can’t manage, and continuity has allowed us to be a lot more personalized with our preparation, especially before Christmas,” he said.
“We had 11 players in our grand final side 22 and under, which means we had a good opportunity to spend time with them and fine tune their game, while the older guys weren’t as regular – that means they had an expectation to complete one sessions with us post-Christmas, and the others did three, which allowed them to freshen up.
“You’re always looking to improve, that’s the mindset I’m in – learning from a coaching point of view, there’s a lot to take away, and having gone through a full year, you probably see the bigger picture of the footy club, and I’m more aware of how much work goes in behind the scenes in running the club and getting a side on the park every week.
“I’ve got a much better understanding of the work the volunteers and committee do.”
Kemperman also identified Beaconsfield as the big improvers of 2018, but expects every side in the competition to put their name forward this season.
“Looking at them (Beaconsfield), they’re a great example of a club that’s lost of lot of players, but I see at what they’ve brought in as positives,” he said.
The Wickers face off with Narre Warren, the very side they bested in the 2017 grand final, at Edwin Flack Reserve on Saturday in what will be the round’s biggest blockbuster.
