"We are coming for you" - Gloves off in footy recruitment campaign
Scottsdale Patron Peter Gutwein has the gloves off in the fight for the club’s future. Pictured with players (left) Will Moore, Bridget Moore, Lochie Bowerman, Deagan Young, Coach Joel Hayes, Joe Krushka, Abby Samec and Mila Hayes.
June 19, 2024
By Rachel Williams
Scottsdale Football Club was aiming for a premiership within five years of joining the new Northern Premier League with a national recruitment campaign underway to boost playing and professional stocks.
The Magpies’ Patron Peter Gutwein is leading the charge to promote the world-class lifestyle and job opportunities available across the North East as the club starts a re-building phase.
After chairing a meeting of industry leaders earlier this month, the former Premier will guide the engagement of new players and officials from across Tasmania and interstate, with Victorian recruiters already on the case.
“I am certain there will be many players and coaches who see an opportunity to rebuild this club and be involved in its future success and while we will operate within the salary cap we are also putting on the table the opportunity to live in a region with one of the world’s best mountain bike areas, two of the world’s best golf courses, some of the world’s best beaches and some great jobs and opportunities available – it’s a pretty compelling package,” Mr Gutwein said.
And the gloves are off when it comes to their new on-field rivals, North Launceston, given the Bombers’ vocal opposition to the demise of the TSL and their place in the new NTFA Premier League.
“If North Launceston stop being sooks and decide to play, our message is very clearly ‘we are coming for you’, ” Gutwein said.
“I played against Scottsdale when I was with East Launceston as a school boy and a teenager and played against guns like Stephen Nicholls, Rod Hill and Danny Hall so I know the passion and dedication and toughness that Scottsdale brings to playing and we will once again rediscover that.”
North Launceston disrespected Scottsdale Football Club and its NTFA Premier League counterparts and the gloves are off in the fight for future premiership glory.
That’s the very clear message from Mapgies’ Patron Peter Gutwein, who is leading the charge for the club to return to dominance, with a recruitment campaign promoting attractive work and lifestyle opportunities in the region.
“Everyone at the club is dedicated to it being successful at the current time and I think everybody understands that in stepping up we need to look at personnel right through the club and have the necessary people in place to build us into the future,” Gutwein said.
He was joined by former SFC playing legends yesterday to throw down the gauntlet at critics who say the Magpies shouldn’t be in the top tier next year.
“Unlike North Launceston, who were prepared to give up and pack up (in recess), Scottsdale is going to accept the challenge and we will build a team that can beat North Launceston,” he said.
“We are coming for you.
“At the end of the day recent actions by North Launceston threatening to go into recess in protest is disrespectful, not only to Scottsdale but all the other clubs playing in the NTFA Premier League.”
Scottsdale met the AFL criteria with a junior program, women’s, under 18, reserves and seniors to be selected in the new top tier along with Deloraine, Longford, South Launceston, Launceston and the Bombers.
The former Premier said the club can “absolutely” compete at the highest level.
“The club understands there is a lot of work to be done and the one thing we bring to the table is culture and tradition – we know how to win, we like it and we will get there again,” he said.
“We know that there will be challenges and we will need an increase in fitness across the board.
“We are rebuilding and aim to not only be successful but to absolutely win a premiership in three to five years
“We are embarking upon a recruitment campaign not just for the playing opportunities but the job and the lifestyle opportunities to come and play in the highest level competition in Northern Tasmania and play with one of Tasmania’s most successful clubs ever.”
Former club legends Danny Hall, Greg Lethborg, Stephen Nichols, Peter Roozendaal and Les Lette stood by Gutwein’s side yesterday to welcome in a new era for the club.
“We were a force to be reckoned with once we got that winning feeling and every time we won we got hungrier and people couldn’t stop us,” Hall said
“We had some fun.”
They’re confident of more fun into the future.