CEFL’s perennial contender since the first season, early on last year showed signs of having another good season. They pushed the eventual champions, the Vukovi, all the way to a multiple overtime game, but as the season progressed it became more and more clear things were not right. Of course, the injuries devastated the team unlike any other in the league, but the Dukes almost hit rock bottom last year.

Things turned uggly near the end of the spring season, when the Vukovi beat them 48-0 in the Serbian league final, the worst loss in team history. In the end, the Dukes lost both of their fall CEFL games, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006, when only the two best teams made the final. Still, they were 5-3 then and in contrast only 3-5 last year, their worst CEFL season, by far.

Financially, the team wasn’t in great shape either, and sorting out those problems was the first thing the new management needed to take care of. Secondly, they hired one of the most experienced Serbian coaches, Igor Hoffmann, to help turn things around, and he says it’s been so far so good, for the most part.

“We are currently practicing under the best possible conditions and we’re really happy with all that. All of us in the club realize that for any kind of progress we need to have adequate working conditions. I sincerely hope that this season, and of course in future season, everything will be how it should be”, says Hoffmann.

Among the problems last year was that both of the team’s quarterbacks got seriously hurt. But also, the losses started before the season, when the team lost players to other Serbian teams and this time it was no different, with receivers Boris Kuzmanović and Siniša Bilić, with offensive tackle Matija Gobec leaving the team. Still, the Dukes also had some slightly strange additions.

“We lost two excellent receivers, Kuzmanović and Bilić, and also tackle Gobec … However we tried to overcome all that and get players in the positions we needed them. A big help will represent former Zagreb Thunder players and now Zagreb Patriots players. They are 5 offensive and 2 defensive linemen that practice with us regularly.”

Other than who will actually catch the ball now, the question is also who will throw it. Rastko Jokić, starting quarterback from last year, should play again this year, and surprisingly, Čaba Juhas could also return. Despite the injury last year, from which many thought he would not play football again, he is practicing again, but it is still unknown if he returns to Novi Sad to play.

The days when they were a championship contending team like in 2007 and 2008 seem like a very distant memory, but who knows what could happen in the new league format. Last year was a year of bad breaks for the team – if the misfortunes avoid them this year, it should be a better year.