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JOINED LEAGUE: 1894 NICKNAME: CATS HOME GROUND: MOOROOPNA RECREATION RESERVE COACH: JOHN LAMONT PRESIDENT: BILL DOWLING PREMIERSHIPS: 1894, 1895, 1896, 1907, 1923, 1924, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1985, 1986 MORRISON MEDALLISTS: L DWYER (1936), B. MCCARTY (1962), R. WILLETT (1965, 1967, 1968), D. BUX (1972, 1973), G. SAUNDERS (1977), B. OUGH (1979), G. COOPER (1983, 1985), M. BLAKE (2012) 2023 FINISH: FIFTH (11-8) 2023 BEST-AND-FAIREST: JACKSON TRENGOVE AND BRYCE RUTHERFORD 2023 LEADING GOAL-KICKER: JACKSON TRENGOVE (59)
PLAYER CHANGES
INS: Nathan Drummond (Footscray), Coby McCarthy (Tongala), Bayden Fallon (White Hills), Logan Campbell (Undera), Jordan Formica (returning)
OUTS: Jackson Trengove (Cobram), Liam Betson (St Joseph’s), Reed Maskell-Dobbyn (Queensland), Jack Hunt (retired), Coby James (North Melbourne VFL)
Continuity is critical for the Cats this season.
Mooroopna has made finals for the past two seasons and has started this decade with gusto similar to the last, but coach John Lamont knows now is not the time to drop the ball.
“It’s a matter of keep on keeping on for, we’ve played finals for a couple of years so hopefully the young group can keep developing and improving,” he said.
“We’re continuing to build foundations, bring good people in around the players, good facilities, good coaching and feedback...we’re trying to provide the best environment for Mooroopna locals.”
It’s the promise of locals such as Rory Huggard and Dom Guggliotti, who both earned debut interleague caps in 2023, which has Lamont bullish about Mooroopna’s future.
That’s not to say the Cats won’t have a crack - and a red hot one at that - this season.
The ruck baton has been handed over to Keelin Betson as his brother Liam returns to Geelong, while Jackson Trengove’s departure leaves a noticeable hole up forward.
However, Mooroopna has supercharged its midfield with two-time Tongala best-and-fairest winner Coby McCarthy, while the Cats’ contingent of Jack Johnston, Ethan Hunt, Will Bella, and Daniel Johnston will don the hoops when free from VFL commitments.
Massively, Nathan Drummond returns from a five-year stint at Footscray Bulldogs to commit full-time while other prodigal sons, such as Jordan Formica and Bayden Fallon, are back at the Cattery.
They’re all pieces in Lamont’s master plan, with tackle efficiency, better ball use and clean entry circled as the circuit breaker leading to a possible further finals venture.
“Last year our senior team and our under-18 team both got to the finals, so hopefully we can do that again and go a bit deeper.”
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