AFL Outer-East: Doveton ends 19-game run of outs with season-opening win against Officer

On Saturday, Doveton will make the long trip to Warburton Millgrove’s Mac Sparke Oval for the first time in its history. But it does so with the excitement generated by a drought breaking win on Good Friday.

Doveton skipper Matt Stapleton. Picture: Bethany Hutchison

On Saturday, Doveton will make the long trip to Warburton Millgrove’s Mac Sparke Oval for the first time in its history.

But with the excitement generated by a drought breaking win on Good Friday, the Doves will make that long flight 10 feet above the ground. ​

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Former Western Bulldogs star Matthew Boyd gets a handball away for Doveton. Picture: Bethany Hutchison

After losing all 16 games last season, on top of defeat in the last two home-and-away rounds and the elimination final of 2017, Doveton hadn’t won a game since success against Beaconsfield on August 5, 2017.​

The 19-game run of outs took its toll on the club and plenty jumped ship. ​

But a hard working few refused to throw in the towel and, instead, rolled up their sleeves. ​

Recruits were signed, an under-18 team was back on the park, there was the buzz of a new competition and, on Good Friday, the carpark at AJ Robinson Oval was full. ​

An 82-point win over Officer followed and the joint was jumping. ​

“It was a good feeling around the club,” coach Daniel Charles said. “But we were surprised how quickly we were able to turn it around from last year. ​

“They sang it (the club song) with gusto. There were a few who’d joined last year and hadn’t sung it yet and didn’t know the words. ​

“We weren’t expecting to turn it around so quickly. ​

“But we were pretty confident, just with the work we’d done over pre-season.”​

As well as large numbers returning to the fold, Doveton recruited better than most over the summer months. ​

Doveton president Aaron Henwood did a power of work in the off-season Picture: Bethany Hutchison.

Towering 207cm ruckman Michael Sikora, 50-odd VFL games with Sandringham, Essendon, Williamstown and Frankston, headlined the signings while Doveton graduate Lachie Batten returned to the club after a stint at Sandringham. ​

Throw in James Gascard, Luke Daidone, Mitch Viney and Daniel Zajac and the Doves made some more-than-handy additions. ​

But perhaps the biggest name to run out for the club is former Western Bulldogs premiership player, club captain and three-time all-Australian Matthew Boyd who is back at Doveton after 292 games in the big league. ​

“He’s a past player who’s come back to help out,” Charles said.” We spoke to him and he came down and checked out the club and he’s really keen.”​

Sikora was outstanding in the season-opener and will fill the gap left by the departure of Russell Gabriel to MPNFL’s Frankston Pines. ​

“We didn’t know what life without Russ Gabriel would be like,” Charles said. “But it’s worked out for both (parties). He’s had a new lease on life at Pines. ​

“Michael Sikora, he’s fantastic and he’s made others around him so much better. The day he walked in to the club he was fantastic.”​

A classy list of recruits aside, the biggest factor in Doveton’s revival has been the development shown by younger players during the adversity of the winless 2018 campaign. Bradley O’Brien, William Smith, Tyson Bellinger and Sam Muirhead have all come along in leaps and bounds according to Charles. ​

And, like most clubs in the now defunct South East Football Netball League and AFL Yarra Ranges, Doveton is embracing the excitement generated by the first year of the AFL Outer-East. ​

“There’s still that unknown,” Charles said. “We’ve got Warburton this week and we’ve never played on that ground before. I think we’ll get about six games in before we know (how things stand).”