For Mathoura’s senior football side, 2025 is shaping up as a rebuilding year under new coach Adam Bourke after the Cutters lost a significant number of senior players over the off-season.
“It's really (about) learning and developing, and it's about putting the time into the young kids,” Bourke said.
“I think we’ve got 25 on the books for the under-17s, so we're really enthusiastic about trying to develop these young kids just with the footy fundamentals. So hopefully in two or three years time, when they're stepping up into that open age group, they've got the tools in the shed to be senior footballers.”
Bourke has had a shortened pre-season with the squad, stepping into the role in January, replacing last year’s coaching duo of Nick Ferrari and Tim McCormick.
The new Cutters boss has plenty of coaching experience, coaching under prominent AFL players Jason Heatley and Brett Lovett at different times in his career.
He most recently worked with Avenel’s thirds in the Kyabram District League.
Bourke told the Riv he was looking to take the best of what he learned under each of those coaches and put it into practice at Mathoura, with particular focus on developing the younger players at the club.
Mathoura was in the contest in plenty of games last season, dropping a few close matches, but was equally not at the level of the upper echelon of finals sides, finishing the year 5-11.
With a lot of the key members of that squad departing, Bourke said a back-to-basics approach would be the way forward this season.
“In terms of style, I think it’s just really using the football effectively and trying to minimise our turnovers,” he said.
“It's really about effective use and looking after one another.
“We're just trying to do the basics right.
“We did lose a fair chunk of our senior side so we're trying to develop players into new positions as well, and we know that's going to take time.
“The game style is more about trying to learn the game plan, and trying to get those footy fundamentals right, kicking to the right spot, and running to the right spot.
“At the basic level, that’s where we are for year one.”
Mathoura will take on a local rival in the opening round, welcoming Deni Rovers to Mathoura Recreation Reserve.
The Cutters’ A-grade netball side is also under new leadership, Katrina Fisher and Bec McCluskey taking the reins from Tegan Wanganeen.
Mathoura struggled to keep touch with the league’s top sides last year, and found itself a step behind the mid-table outfits, finishing 3-13 for the year.
Deni Rovers were one of the form sides of the competition in 2024 and should prove a tough first outing for the new coaching duo as they look to hammer down their best rotations for the new season.
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