Russells Creek determined to make back-to-back WDFNL finals series in 2023

The Creekers want to build on their elimination final appearance when the 2023 season gets under way in April under second-year co-coaches Dylan Herbertson and Danny Chatfield.

Herbertson - one of the Mack Oval-based club's on-field leaders - said there was a sense of optimism as Russells Creek plotted a path up the Warrnambool and District football league ladder.

"The boys got a taste of senior finals experience (last season) which a lot of them hadn't had," he said.

"It has spurred them on to get that again and improve on last year's efforts.

"(It's about) the whole team growing from that confidence of finally playing senior finals again - it had been 12 years since Creek had played finals."

Five new additions - brothers Jordan and Lachlan Edwards (Belmont), ruckman Troy Lovett (Heywood), midfielder Dakin Morris (Bungaree) and youngster Josh Brown (South Rovers) - will bring different assets to the team.

The Edwards siblings will slot into the Creekers' defence with Lachlan holding down centre-half-back while Morris is poised for a midfield role.

"The recruits add a bit of experience which is good and it just puts those older heads around those younger guys who are now stepping up to be the middle tier of the senior group and are pushing the senior group along now," Herbertson said.

"They are making the older blokes work a bit harder."

Herbertson, who expects to play a variety of on-field roles, said he was excited about coaching again.

The 32-year-old said last season was a learning curve.

"Danny and I work really well together - we've known each other for a long time - so it's worked really well for us," he said.

"I can still try and concentrate on playing footy.

"He takes over Saturday most of the day (off-field) and which gives us (with me on-field) the insight of a player as well as the coaching side."

The Creekers start their season against fellow Albert Park tenant South Rovers on Saturday, April 1.

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