“We've kept most (of our squad) and retained quite well actually, so that'll definitely help us,” he said.
“It takes a few years to build a side.
“If you can try and hold everyone and just keep building on it that definitely helps you.”
Picola was certainly competitive in 2024, finishing in seventh position with a 9-6-1 record, before being ousted in the first round of finals by Tungamah.
The Blues also showed they could compete with some of the league’s best when they were firing, downed by only one goal late in the year against grand finalists Katandra, and drawing with eventual champions Waaia the following week in round 16.
If the squad remains fit, Woodland feels it can only grow from last year, with the established talent bolstered by new recruits and young players.
“We've brought in quite a few new blokes as well as a bit of growth from within the side,” he said.
“We've got three or four blokes coming up out of the thirds which will go straight into our best senior side.
“We had a pretty young group last year which we've developed so they're all ready to take the next step as well.
“It's been a big off-season, and we've put in the hard work and worked really hard on our game plan, and we're chomping at the bit to get into it.”
The opening round sees Picola face a fellow finals side from last year in Katunga, the Blues hosting the contest at Picola Recreation Reserve.
“The boys are really looking forward to the challenge,” Woodland said.
“We played them quite early on last year, and it was quite close.
“It was probably one we thought we'd let slip a little, so the boys will look for a little bit of revenge on that front.
“They're a really good outfit, and we're up for the challenge and looking forward to it and seeing where we're at.
“Hopefully (we) kick off the year with a great win early on, and then we can build from there.”
In netball, the Blues are once again set to be led by Annie Jorgensen, who takes on both A- and B-grades for another season.
Picola’s A-grade outfit put in some good performances throughout last season, but finished a tier behind the finals race, finishing 4-12.
Jorgensen will look to build on last year with targeted additions to the squad, and faces a strong early test in beaten grand finalists Katunga.
17°C