AFL OUTER EAST: What to look forward to for 2021
Closer divisions, the emergence of new contenders, long premiership droughts set to be broken, star recruits, plus more. Here's why the 2021 AFL Outer East season will be worth the wait.
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Season 2020 may not have eventuated for the AFL Outer East competition due to the coronavirus crisis, but there’s ample reason for excitement ahead of 2021. Here’s a few reasons why...
TIGHTER TOP DIVISION
There’s a spot at the top up for grabs with perennial finalist Berwick making the move to the EFL, after it had played in four of the past five grand finals in its respective competitions. But who’s ripe to become the new ‘challenger’ to the formidable Narre Warren premiership defence?
Could it be Beaconsfield? The Eagles have been around the mark for the past decade, playing in the last eight finals series with a preliminary final appearance in 2019 where they fell to eventual premier Narre Warren by 24 points. But home and away results proved they were again a threat to the top sides around them, with the third-placed outfit getting within eight points of Narre Warren in Round 2 and two points of grand finalist Berwick in Round 4. They then knocked over fellow finalist Woori-Yallock by seven points in Round 9, followed by perhaps their best win of the year over Narre Warren in Round 11 before being upset by Wandin the following week.
Just four points separated Woori-Yallock and Cranbourne on the ladder in fourth and fifth position respectively, before the pair met in an elimination final with Cranbourne winning by 15 points. What Cranbourne was however left to rue was a semi-final loss the next week to Beaconsfield, leading by nine points at the final change, and it won’t have forgotten that in a hurry.
The exciting thing is, it could be any of the number of clubs taking that next step after recruiting well, which sets 2021 as one of the great unknown seasons for the league’s top division.
DOVETON IN THE BIG-TIME
Doves fans enter 2021 on the back of a year of excitement and anticipation built up for their foray into Premier Division after its second-tier flag in 2019. Boosted by the return of stalwart Shannon Henwood, the club is well-placed for a crack at the top-flight, and Doves fans would be quietly optimistic in the lead up to 2021.
BERWICK SPRINGS AND BROADFORD
Berwick Springs was due to compete in the senior ranks in 2020 after being accepted into Division 1 as an open-age club, but the coronavirus crisis put paid to those plans. But attention has turned to 2021 with the Titans set for its first foray into senior football, after it fielded underage sides last year. The club looks to be flush with junior talent that it is aiming to develop once it can take the park, according to club president Ashley Allison. “We’ve got in excess of 44 players in the 17s that we’re going to push through next year,” he said.
Meanwhile, Broadford has made the move across from the Riddell District league and is set to compete in Division 2.
Every club’s eager for 2021 to roll around, but none more so than Berwick Springs and Broadford.
LOOK OUT FOR WILLIAMS AND SEVILLE
Seville shocked the wider local footy community when it announced back in May that Norwood and EFL spearhead Leigh Williams was on the move to join the Division 1 club. The recruiting coup sets up a potent two-pronged attack with fellow tall Nathan O’Keefe up forward which promises to hold the club in good stead as it embarks on a new division. Williams is a delight to watch in full flight, having been one of the EFL’s marquee performers over the past decade, booting 600 goals across 161 games for Norwood to be named in the league’s Premier Division team of the year on six occasions.
The former Melbourne, Casey and Williamstown-listed forward also took the best on ground honours in the Norsemen’s 2014 top-flight premiership win and propelled the league to the No. 1 rank in the state, dominating AFL Victoria metropolitan championship matches in 2017 and 2018.
Get excited, Blues fans.
INFLUX OF RECRUITS AT THE SAWMILL
Powelltown has been one of the major recruiters this ‘off-season’, luring EFL premiership coach Jarrod Bayliss, who has wasted no time adding to the Demons’ tall stocks. Dual premiership forward Michael Fowkes has joined the fold, along with ex-AFL big man Daniel Gorringe, with the former Sun and Blue signing at the Sawmill for two years. The club came within a kick of a grand final last season, and with added support for spearhead Dean Roy, who booted 60 majors last season, and league best and fairest ruckman Ben Wratten, Demons fans have significant cause for optimism and excitement heading into 2021.
PREMIERSHIP DROUGHTS SET TO BE BROKEN
Division 1 and 2 are primed to see several clubs who haven’t experienced the ultimate success for a number of years have a crack at claiming their first piece of silverware in more than a decade and end a premiership drought. In Division 1, Mount Evelyn holds the longest drought having last won a senior men’s flag in 1998, while Officer’s last triumph came in 2002 and Monbulk in 2006. Seven of the nine teams in Division 2 however will be on the hunt to break the decade-plus hoodoo. Powelltown has had the longest wait with its last and only flag presenting in 1989, however its recruiting of key talls following a close prelim final loss last year will hold it in good stead. Kinglake has had the next longest wait (1994), followed by new club Broadford (1996), Yea (2005), Warburton-Milgrove (2006), Thornton-Eildon (2007) and Alexandra (2008).
SENIOR WOMEN’S COMPETITION
AFL Outer East will field a standalone senior women’s competition for the first time after previously operating in conjunction with the Eastern Football League, through the Eastern Region Women’s competition. Aligning with the league is power women’s team Mount Evelyn, which had previously competed in the Eastern league’s top female division, separate to the Outer East clubs. Women’s football is alive and booming in the outer-eastern suburbs, with further growth expected.
NETBALL POINTS SYSTEM
There’s no shortage of netball talent in the AFL Outer East, with equalisation and continued development of juniors the major talking points of the netball scene. A player points system similar to that of the men’s football is set to come into effect from season 2021 making for closer competitions. Participation grew to 27 clubs across three divisions last year, with Olinda-Ferny Creek taking out the top division flag.
NEW FACILITIES
Cranbourne, Berwick Springs, Wandin, Gembrook-Cockatoo and Alexandra are among clubs set to move into new and improved facilities next season.
For Premier club Wandin, a $3.7m facelift awaits at its home base, with a full ground resurfacing, new pavilion and club rooms. Cranbourne will be making the move from Casey Fields to Livingstone Estate with its new facilities currently under construction, anticipated to be ready for next season.
Meanwhile, incoming senior club Berwick Springs will see the completion of a senior ground, club rooms and netball courts, Gembrook-Cockatoo will be home to a new pavilion and netball courts, and Alexandra has revealed it will begin construction on club rooms soon.
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