Ferrante: Royals confident in pre-season work

Essendon Royals Senior Men’s Coach, Mick Ferrante, is eager for the Round 1 match against North Sunshine Eagles after a long and gruelling pre-season. With the team physically and mentally prepared, Ferrante hopes his squad will hit the ground running with a strong performance and result.

“We’re all looking forward to it after a long and pretty brutal pre-season. Everyone’s up and about and looking forward to getting stuck in and is prepared mentally and physically,” Ferrante said.

“It’s always a bit different when points are up for grabs, so hopefully, that doesn’t get the better of us, and hopefully, the boys hit the ground running with a good performance first and the good result that we hope comes from that good performance.”

Reflecting on the pre-season, Ferrante said, “Between myself, Davey [Van’t Schip] and Juan [Toro], we all worked on a pre-season program that would help us get the boys ready while ensuring they could get through it and be ready for Round 1.” Ferrante is pleased with the outcome as most players completed the program and are fit for the season opener.

As for the North Sunshine Eagles, Ferrante expects a challenging game. He acknowledges their quality players and the tough environment of their home ground. 

However, he remains confident in his team, saying, “We’re not going there lightly or with expectations of anything other than a tough game. I’m confident in the body of work we’ve done and the boys.”

Ferrante is particularly excited to see how the new signings and young talents will integrate into the squad throughout the season. Although it’s uncertain which youngsters will feature in Round 1, he’s looking forward to their development and personal achievements.

With the anticipation building, the focus remains on the season opener and ensuring the Royals make a good start in their NPL3 debut.