FAST FACTS >> JOINED LEAGUE: 1940; 1976 TO PRESENT NICKNAME: LIONS HOME GROUND: KINGS PARK COACHES: BEN DAVEY, JACK MURPHY PRESIDENT: PETER ELLIOTT PREMIERSHIPS: 1976, 1981, 1982. 1991, 2005, 2006, 2007 MORRISON MEDALLISTS: C.FROELICH (1940), GLIDDELL (1978), J.SOLOMON (1989), S.SCHOTTNER (2004), B.RIGONI (2022), J.O'SULLIVAN (2021, 2023) 2024 FINISH: NINTH (6-12) 2024 BEST-AND-FAIREST: NATHAN BEATTIE 2024 LEADING GOAL-KICKER: RILEY MASON (72)
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
PLAYER CHANGES
INS: Sam House (GWS VFL), Tom Jeffrey (Aspley), Cam Osmond, Lachy Giles, Darcy Giles (Lancefield/Assumption College), Jack Radford (Lancefield), Tom Gawthrop (Woodend), Lachy Beattie (Yea), Rielly Old (Nagambie), Jack Peris (Essendon VFL), Will O’Sullivan, Rhys Clarke
OUTS: Tayte Lewis (Nagambie), Ben Rigoni (North Albury), Tom Maloney (Doncaster East)
Last year could not have been more of a contrast to the year previous for Seymour, who went from a 17-1 finish and being viewed as contenders in 2023, to a 6-12 record and ninth placed finish last season.
There’s been some soul searching from the Kings Park inhabitants over summer, who have seen Jack Murphy elevated to co-coach alongside Ben Davey, and the consensus is last year was just a blip in their road back to GVL glory.
“We spoke a lot about (last season) as coaches and players, and what we got out of it was that we weren't really that far off,” Davey said.
“We just had a lot of injuries through the year, and we lost six games by under two goals.
“I thought that with a with a with a bit of luck with injuries, but then also getting back to getting some real basics, getting a lot fitter, a lot stronger, and the growth and development of our young kids, we thought we'd be that we'd be pretty close again this year.”
If the Lions recruiting is anything to go by, then hunger is not lacking, with names such as Tom Jeffrey and Sam House welcomed to the Den boasting VFL experience, although the loss of 2022 Morrison Medallist Ben Rigoni will hurt, even if he only played four games for Seymour last season.
If Seymour is able to recapture some of the magic it possessed in 2023, which everyone involved thinks they can, then opposition sides beware.
"We're big on not dancing around,” Davey said.
“We want to play finals every year. We want to be finalists because that's what you play footy for, and your goal is a club is to win premierships so if you're shying away from that, you're not being true to yourselves, so that's what we we're aiming for."
