Lambton Jaffas overcame injuries last season to take second spot in a blanket finish. They return without league top-scorer Braedyn Crowley but with quality recruits Mitch Oxborrow, Matt Thompson, Kale Bradbery and Scott Pettit.

Coach: James Pascoe

Last year: 2nd (38 points, +21 goals)

Arrivals: Mitch Oxborrow, Kale Bradbery (Broadmeadow), Riley McNaughton, Daniel Hughes (Charlestown), Matt Thompson (Maitland), Scott Pettit (Olympic), Jayden Barber (Lakes).

Departures: Braedyn Crowley (Maitland), Liam O'Dell, James Pendrigh, Brock Messenger, Josh Sutton.

First month: Broadmeadow (No.2 Sportsground), Lakes (A), Charlestown (A), Weston (H)

Given last season's effort and the recruits, are expectations higher this year?

We've always got high expectations, but to win things, consistency is the key. And the things that allow you to be consistent are a common group of players on the field fairly regularly, and when you can't use certain players, you need quality to step in. In terms of our numbers, we have five out and five in, so the numbers haven't changed so much. We are still hampered by injuries. We've got five or six out at the moment ... so already we're under a bit of pressure. But the boys that we brought in last year are growing, and that was a positive from an injury-riddled season. But you've got to deal with those things and we did last year. They are not something we dwell on as a club, we just get on with it. Your expectations do rise but you've got to be realistic because usually it's the team who's healthiest at the back end of the year that wins the grand final, and the team with the best depth through the year probably wins the minor premiership.

You have been off your ground this year because of turf damage from a worm infestation. How has that hurt preparations?

It's meant that we haven't had any home pre-season fixtures. Games that we had locked in, we had to ask to transfer them and in lots of cases we couldn't. It's meant we've really had only four pre-season games. I've been a bit envious of teams playing in the Heritage Cup and other things that have allowed them to have six, seven, eight games. It's made things more difficult, but we just had to adjust our training schedule, and going by our results, it seems like we've been on a good path.

With a new-look attack, will we see a different style?

Yes and no. We always try and be a team that looks after the football and tries to impose ourselves in possession on other teams, and that stays. But we're very athletic. Pettit, Remo [Luke Remington], Kale and Anthony Wood in the front third, these boys are lightning. We're a bit different to last year in how we set up and approach it, but I think in these first four trial games, we've scored 26 or 27 goals and conceded two, so it's going OK.

Who are the main threats this year?

I think Edgeworth and Maitland, and I don't discount Magic either. They've lost as many as we'd lost before last season and the one before, and if you work hard enough together and come up with a way of playing that suits the characteristics of the players, you're always a chance. Valentine could be the Weston of last year, and Weston were quite good for 40 minutes the other night. But Edgeworth, with their depth and the way they play, which is largely to keep a clean sheet and score late if they can, they are still probably the ones to beat, and Maitland will be nice and confident after last year.

Who has been a player to watch from the pre-season?

The player who has kicked on to another level, and who is injured now, is Finn Parris. Finn had a really good month there and fingers crossed his ankle is not too bad. He's versatile. He can play midfield or further forward and he was just starting to get a bit of confidence.

Even without the 2019 Golden Boot, the Jaffas' roster looks stronger and deeper this year. If they have a better run with injuries, they will be major title contenders.

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