HAMILTON Kangaroos Football Netball Club senior coach, Brad Thomas, is motivated to develop the side during the Hampden Football Netball League campaign.

Thomas is under no illusions, as to where his side is expected to finish the season, with finals not on the agenda, as he looks to instil a new mindset into his players.

“The coaching staff are amazed with where the squad is at present, as we didn’t expect to be so advanced at this stage,” Thomas said.

“The group has come a long way since pre-season started, and we know that what we want most is the respect of the other teams in the competition.

The Melville Oval redevelopment has caused short term pain, but the squad hasn’t spoken of the fact that the club doesn’t have a home ground.

They will play home games at Hawkesdale Recreation Reserve and Dunkeld Recreation Reserve, with one game also at Gardens Oval in Port Fairy, as Melville Oval undergoes an $8.4m facelift.

“We have been training at Hamilton Recreation Reserve and while the surface isn’t ideal, it is what it is and the players have just got on with the job and not spoken about it,” Thomas said.

“This is something that we have been working on with the squad; the belief that they can get better, and they want to get better.

“The attitude among the group is phenomenal and they are far in advance of where we thought they’d be.”

Only one player has been lost to the club for the coming season with Zach Burgess returning to his junior club, Glenthompson-Dunkeld.

The club has picked up Harry Turnham, a high half-forward player who will provide drive into the forward line after signing from Panmure.

Aside from Turnham, Jack English is back as is Jack Murray and Vincent Huf who will give the side versatility across the ground.

The club has had a total of 10 quarters of practice match football in the lead up to the season, and Thomas has been pleasantly surprised with the attitude of the squad in these matches.

Their work in controlling the game has been a feature, but Thomas noted that the side must rid itself of the two to three-minute concentration lapses that just should not be there.

Commitment to the club is borne out by Hamish Cook, who will travel back and forth from Geelong each week with the high-flying forward looking to take the next step in his development this season.

“Hamish proved last year that he is right up there with the best forwards in the competition, but now he wants to advance his game even further,” Thomas said.

A season playing in the Northern Territory has seen Ethan Knight return to the club with a new mindset, after playing with and against some of the best country footballers in Australia over summer.

“His mindset is what has changed dramatically, and he is now thinking about the game at a higher level,” Thomas said.

“With the squad being further along than we had expected at this stage, we are now able to go on to the next level of where we want to take them.

“We were impressed with the level of consistent play the boys showed in the practice matches, but now we have to carry that forward.

“We are not all that interested in wins and losses, but rather the general improvement of the whole squad this season to a level where we become a force in the future.”