AFL Outer-East: Seville sets itself for life in Division 1
Seville is on its way to Division 1 after ending a 16-year premiership drought. Who’s on board as the Blues step up?
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Scarcely had the final siren sounded to announce Seville’s drought-ending grand final win over Yarra Junction at Yarra Glen in September than the Blues were planning for life in the AFL Outer East’s second tier.
With league restructuring Seville, along with Gembrook Cockatoo, had been awarded a place on the league’s second level prior to the Division 2 grand final. A thumping win over Yarra Junction not only gave the Blues revenge for the disaster that was the 2018 decider but added legitimacy to the club’s step up.
And it’s given the Blues’ 2020 campaign a stack of early momentum.
“We already knew we were going up, but we needed to win it (the grand final) to seal the deal,” coach Kane Shore said. “And everyone wanted to sign up and be part of it again and jumped back on board.”
Ending the premiership drought triggered the biggest celebrations Seville had know in more than a decade.
“There were so many of the old-timers around,” Shore said. “I’ve never seen so many grown men crying.
“We knew we had the right side, we’d recruited well, but you still need the stars to align (to win the flag).”
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After signing on to coach the Blues again, Shore’s first task was retaining as many of the flag winning side as he could.
Co-captains Nathan O’Keefe and Mark Cecere were quick to put pen to paper while the Fraser clan will also be back on the park next year. Dylan Broadway, a Division 2 team of the year selection and one of the stars of the grand final win, will also be back
Shore said the massive recruiting effort of 12 months ago will continue to hold the club in good stead as will the return to action of four or five players sidelined by injury last season.
“We’d cast our net far and wide and had about 10 or 11 new players in that grand final side,” Shore said. “We’ve retained most of that list and we’ve got a few back from long term injuries. Jamie Cecere will be back after doing his knee in round 1 and he’s been our best and fairest winner.
“And we’ve added Jye (Sciortino) and we still have two or three to come.”
Sciortino is a 22-year-old halfback/wing who will cross from EFNL club Lilydale to be reunited with brother Nick.
Breaking out of Division 2 after so many years will allow the Seville list to renew some footballing acquaintances.
“It's definitely challenging, but it’s exciting,” Shore said. “A lot of the guys have played junior footy against these guys but have never had the chance to play against them in seniors.
“It’s going to be challenging, but we’re not going up just to make up the numbers.”
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