With Round 1 fast approaching, Scoop has caught up with all ten senior footy coaches as they prepare for season 2026!
North Ballarat are tipped to be one of the risers this season, how does Clint Proctor survey the standings ahead of the April action?
SCOOP: Externally the vibe is North Ballarat has the potential to challenge for the title in 2026. How much improvement is needed to validate the call given you missed last year’s top six in a 10-team competition?
CLINT PROCTOR: Internally we know where our improvements must come from and we have made some strategic decisions to enable the growth. Health is our no focus this year and we have made some steps in the right direction with our list management decisions. Having eight VFL listed players put us as a paper team last year - rarely did we have that cohort together. This was new for North and something we have now adjusted moving down to only four so I’m anticipating this helping with our connection as a team
S: I was rapt to hear Josh Morris won your Best and Fairest after being overlooked in the BFNL Team of the Year. Josh is a versatile talent - what is his best position to help win games of footy?
CP: Josh is an outstanding player and has the ability to influence the game in most positions of the field - we will employ him where the team needs a lift but predominately he will play down back this year.
S: Sam Glover returns full time from Collingwood VFL. Surely still in his prime we can expect big things from the silky moving left footer?
CP: It’s so great to have Sam as part of the crew - he’s made a huge impact in a short time on the track. I’m really looking forward to coaching him, he’s such a professional there’s no doubt he will have a big year.
S: Tell us about newcomer David Brinker-Ritchie, a 200cm ruckman from the SANFL and the returning Jai Lockett who left for Southport VFL still essentially a kid a couple of years ago…
CP: I coached DBR at Box Hill - incredible lad, humble and a real team man you won’t miss him. Jye is a local North junior and has a great connection to the boys in the team - we are excited to see him kick some goals for us this year.
S: Josh Sparkman, Jamie Quick, the Loader brothers, Tom Bromley-Lynch and Brock Leonard have all missed significant footy with injury - are they all ready to go?
CP: Harry Loader hasn’t made the adjustment, he won’t feature this year and Sparkman is a VFL listed player along with Riley, Van Es and Riding so we haven’t included those lads in our planning for this year. If they are available after VFL selection then that’s a bonus for us.
Quicky, TBL and fletcher haven’t missed a beat this year - last year they couldn’t get on the park, I’m really happy to see them all smiling and training pain free.
Brock is back training well and working on some technique adjustments to help with his ball gathers to prevent any head high knocks in the future across the league.
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
CP: Conversion - our inability to score well consistently and apply scoreboard pressure was not at the level required to challenge week in week out.
We also must improve our contested possession to support our ball movement and time in forward half.
INS & OUTS
In: S. Glover (Collingwood VFL), D. Grainger-Barras (full time), D. Brinker- Ritchie (Woodville- West Torrens SA), F. Loader (back from injury lay off), J. Lockett (Southport), S. Burmeister (Redan).
Out: N. Nash (Carngham-Linton), N. Cockerill (St.Albans Geelong), C. McCallum (retired), T. McMillan (Newton-Chillwell) M. White (St Joeys), H. Trigg (Torquay)
VFL AFFILIATED PLAYERS
J. Riding (Werribee), R. Polkinghorne (Port Melbourne), J. Sparkman (Port Melbourne), J. Van Ess (Port Melbourne), D. Brinker-Ritchie (North Melbourne)
PRACTICE MATCH SCHEDULE
March 21 - Bell Park v North Ballarat
March 28 - North Ballarat v Sandhurst
CLUB IMPROVERS TIP
CP: Lake Wendouree
FLAG TIP
CP: Darley
SCOOP SAYS
Astute mentor Clint Proctor has shopped well over the off season boasting a spine to rival any opposition in 2026.
The return of Sam Glover, Jye Lockett and addition of 200cm former SANFL ruckman David Brinker-Ritchie will ensure an ominous presence both around stoppage and forward of the ball. When you include a fit Jamie Quick into the front half the Roosters’ best 10-12 read impressively given Denver Grainger- Barras (full time) and Josh Morris will likely hold down key posts at the defensive end.
While the top end nature of the Roosters’ spine cannot be questioned the jury is out on whether their complement of spread players will hold up enough to challenge the cream of the competition. Let’s not forget the Roosters did miss finals last year but look for them to bounce well enough to give Proctor his first crack amid the September action in his second season at the helm.
Projected finish: 4th
