PORTLAND will launch into the new Hampden Football League season intent on proving last year’s strong performances were no fluke.

The Tigers won seven of 12 games in 2021 – enough to qualify the club for their first finals appearance since joining the Hampden league in 2013, only to see that finals series cancelled due to COVID restrictions.

Tomorrow Portland heads to the newly refurbished Reid Oval – fresh from a $7 million upgrade – to take on Warrnambool, a side that finished 2021 sixth on the ladder with just four wins.

“Apart from it being the first game, we’re excited about playing on Reid Oval,” Portland coach Jarrod Holt said.

“It looks like a brilliant venue, so much better than what it was.

“It was pretty wide already, but it is even wider now and with such a big ground I think whoever works the hardest will have the biggest advantage.”

While the new clubrooms, viewing area, lighting and playing surface are complete, some works are still to be finished at the venue and spectators will not be able to park their cars around the boundary line as you would normally expect to do.

Holt said he was prepared for an on-song Warrnambool.

“We’re expecting a tough game.

“They had some good players out last year and you would expect them to be up and about back at Reid Oval after playing all of last season out at Deakin.”

Portland, a side that built its improvement last year on youth, have added plenty of depth for the new season.

“Obviously Lochie Huppatz is the one people are talking about.

“It is great to have him back at the club. He’s pretty young still, but has good experience at a good level of football. He’s a good runner and he uses the ball well.”

Two other more experienced recruits will also help in that regard with Marty Curtis and Marcus England crossing from Westerns.

“We have to kick better into our 50m area, that was really our undoing last year.

“Both of those guys will help with that. Marty will play in the forward half, and Marcus has trained really well – he runs hard, wins plenty of the ball and he will play a role in helping out our young onballers, but he will play a mix of midfield and forward.”

The Haylock brothers – Nathan, Patty and Tom – make a return to Tigerland with Nathan having most recently played at Westerns three years ago, while the twins had a season at Tyrendarra in 2021.

“It is great to see them back at the club, they have all played good senior footy at Portland.

“Nathan hasn’t played for a couple of years and he might not play this weekend, he’s carrying a bit of an injury, but when he’s fit we will play him at half-back and he might swing forward as well.

“He’s a good runner, very competitive.”

Defender Ash Orchard and runner Zac Stuchbery have also come in from Tyrendarra and will be in the selection mix, while Holt is excited what a few of their regular senior players can bring in 2022.

“Sam Hampshire still has a lot of up side, he is very young still and we asked a lot of him last season as a key forward.

“Unfortunately he hurt his hamstring in the last practice game so will miss the early part of the season.

“Paul Procter has had a good preseason and he will be important down back and then you have Jake Wilson who slotted into the team late last season after a bit of a break. He’s done the full preseason and is ready to go.

“Aaron Shepherd is another. He had no luck last season with a couple of facial injuries and really only completed a couple of games so he is like a new player for us.”

The focus for now, Holt says, is not looking at finals but rather improvement.

“I don’t want to say how many wins, we just want to build on last year.

“We showed we can be really competitive and we got a lot out of our young players last season, so you would be mad not to expect more.

“We started something last year and we’re trying to add to that.

“We played on a lot, played quick footy. We’re just looking to fine tune that a bit.”