EDFL 2021: East Sunbury gives update on injury woes
There is some good news around the corner for the EDFL Division 2 club after 11 players were on the sidelines for its last fixture.
Essendon
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Injury-hit East Sunbury is poised to roll out close to a full-strength line-up when the Essendon District Football League season resumes.
The forced break due to the coronavirus crisis will allow the club to regain some key personnel as it looks to launch a charge for a Division 2 finals berth.
Mitch Johns, Rhys Gardener, Bryce Whelan, Tom Galea, Frank Violi, Diquan Williams and Claudio Campos were among those on the sidelines for the Thunder’s last match against Coburg Districts on May 22.
But coach Glenn Hopkins said the interruption “works in our favour”, with full-back Ryan Peters (knee reconstruction) the only player who will not return.
“Against Coburg Districts, we had 11 of our senior team out,” Hopkins said.
“We’ve just had injuries from the word go, and it’s made it really hard for us.
“We’ve always been able to fill the teams and our depth’s been OK, but we just miss those top-end players.
“We still think our best is capable, so once we get everyone back it will be only be a shortened season, so hopefully they’re all doing the right thing at the moment, which they seem to be. We think we’ll be OK.”
Young forward Cooper McPharlane has been one of East Sunbury’s standouts, bagging 25 goals from five games.
He started the campaign with hauls of six against Keilor Park, eight against his former club Jacana and seven against Burnside Heights.
The 20-year-old was playing under-17s for the Jags three years ago and kicked seven majors from four matches for their senior team in 2019.
“He’s been the only consistent, reliable forward we’ve had,” Hopkins said.
“He gets under the guard of a few clubs, but I guess he’ll be more policed now people know he can kick goals.
“But it’s important for us to have a couple of forwards around him who he can work off. We haven’t had those forwards consistently playing well.
“But we’ll get a couple come back for the resumption, so our forward line will be a little bit more potent.”
The Thunder’s big names in league best-and-fairest winner Kamen Ogilvie (17 goals), captain Lachlan Brne, former skipper Lucas Shaw and big man Tom Godsell have starred this season.
“We just need those next line of guys to fill in, but those injuries have been in that next group and some of the recruits we’ve had have been injured.
East Sunbury has also blooded teenagers Ethan Stores, Nick Ivakovic and Josh Crump.
Hopkins said he had been impressed by the new-look leadership group of Brne, Callum Lever, and Shane Lindsay.
“They’re only young, but we’re looking to the future with those guys,” he said.
“They’ve been really good example-setters and their voice and their input has been excellent.”
The Thunder sit in seventh position with a 2-4 record, but are only four points behind third-ranked Hadfield.
With Moonee Valley and Oak Park establishing themselves as the pacesetters, six clubs remain in contention for the last two spots in the top four.
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