EDFL 2021: Heath Shaw’s East Keilor too strong for Westmeadows
East Keilor issued a early warning to its flag rivals as its big-name recruits fired in Round 1 of the EDFL season.
Essendon
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East Keilor marked boom recruit Heath Shaw’s first appearance in the Essendon District Football League with a thumping victory on Saturday as it issued an early warning to its Division 1 flag rivals.
But the 63-point win over Westmeadows at Willowbrook Reserve was soured by a serious elbow injury to co-captain Vince Madaffari.
In front of a bumper crowd, the flag favourite piled on 11 goals to one before halftime to set up an emphatic 20.11 (131) to 10.8 (68) triumph.
“They didn’t have any answers really in the first half. I think we came out pretty fast, hard and strong,” Cougars coach Pat Christofi said.
“Halftime kicked in and maybe a bit of complacency kicked in to our boys. Obviously Westmeadows were always going to come because they’re a well-coached side.
“They came at us in the third term and then we stabilised again I guess and put ourselves back in the position we should have been.
“But it was a good hitout first-up.
“I would have taken a five-point win, let alone a 63-point win. We’re just happy to be back.”
Shaw shone across the half-back flank for the three quarters before he was shifted into the attacking half for the last term.
The former AFL star was the highest-profile signing of an extended off-season after 325 games at the elite level and will only get better.
A larger than usual crowd assembled for their first look at Shaw in an official EDFL fixture.
“The leadership that he brings is unbelievable,” Christofi said.
“He’s consistent and just goes out there and does a job. He’s not there to dominate, he’s just there to do his job, and he did his job really well.
“He’s been great from the minute he walked into the footy club.”
Madaffari is set for a long stint on the sidelines after leaving Willowbrook Reserve in an ambulance.
He sustained a dislocated elbow during the third term, which forced a lengthy delay.
“It was a pretty good day, other than the fact we lost our skipper, which saddens me because he’s had no luck. He’s all heart,” Christofi said.
“I’m hoping and praying it’s going to be OK, but I can’t see the skipper running around for a while to be honest. It looked pretty horrific.”
Josh Grabowski was best afield for the winners, while recruits Lachlan Rayner, Fabian Brancatisano, Victor Micallef and co-captain Tim Bongetti were also influential.
Powerful forward Dion Hill bagged five goals, while Bongetti, Grabowski and Charles Van Der Byl finished with three apiece.
Chris Stewart, Paul Scanlon, Bruno Laguda, Ben Caluzzi, Lachlan Pettigrove and Jye King were absent, but the Cougars will face a delicate balance with player points throughout the campaign.
“Especially when you’re winning like that, it’s very hard to leave people out,” Christofi said.
“But we’ll make it work.”
Marwan Abdul-Wahed, George Nabbout and Jason Kenneth led the way for Westmeadows.
East Keilor will tackle Hillside in Round 2, while the Tigers take on Rupertswood.
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