Daniel Griffin to lead Wodonga Diamonds for 2023 AWFA season

Though approaching his fourth year as senior leader, last season was the sole Albury-Wodonga Football Association campaign which reached completion - and Griffin isn't totally satisfied with how things ended.

"I think overall, given the quality of the players we had, I think we underachieved a bit," he said.

"There were a few results where a tiny bit more senior experience in the team, we probably could have got over the line.

"And there were a few results where it showed I suppose our lack of experience.

"I've only really had the chance to get through one full season as a coach; it's a bit of an odd feeling because I've been in the role for three or four years but it only feels like I've done a year's worth."

Diamonds landed well outside of finals contention in 2022, rounding out in 10th with a ledger which read two wins, 15 losses.

The side also harboured the league's most unfavourable goal difference with -61.

Griffin had a young squad at his disposal, and though he voiced around a dozen have departed since then due to natural attrition, an influx of potential players - with some providing much needed experience - has lifted the pre-season mood at La Trobe exponentially.

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"If you took our goalkeeper out of the equation who was 45, our average age was around about 20 last season," he said.

"We were lacking that senior experience and guidance, which I think we're going to get this year.

"We think we've replaced them as far as numbers and have probably gone a bit further; we're looking like we're going to have a bigger squad with stronger depth than we've had in previous years."

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