EFL 2019: Chirnside Park looking to end long losing streak in the Eastern Football League

Chirnside Park has endured goalless games and regular triple-figure beltings but is taking a long-term view to its rebuild as the Panthers look to end its long losing streak.

Declan Bird tucks the ball under his arm. Picture: John Stapleton

Chirnside Park is taking a long-term view to its rebuild as the Panthers looks to end their long losing streak.

Chirnside Park has endured nine triple-figure beltings since the start of last year and cleared a dozen players with senior experience over the pre-season.

Its win was in Round 18, 2017 and the losing streak stands at 21 — the longest in the Eastern Football League since Nunawading’s breakthrough victory in Round 1.

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A quirk in the competition restructure also meant Chirnside Park was not relegated to the competition’s lowest division, despite an average losing margin of 15 goals in 2018.

Chirnside Park coach Dave Newlands watches from the sideline. Picture: John Stapleton

The Panthers’ combined losing margin this year is 349, sitting at the bottom of the Division 3 ladder with a percentage of 29.78.

“We had 11 guys that were 21 and under on the field on Saturday and our second oldest player was 26,” football manager Luke Mather said.

“It gives you an idea of where we’re at compared to a lot of the other clubs in the division.”

Mather said the club needed to “cut our losses” with some players at the end of last year.

“There were some cultural issues there with some of them … there were some decisions made by the committee to not renew some contracts and move some guys on because they weren’t pulling their weight,” he said.

“They weren’t helping out with juniors, they weren’t turning up to club functions, they weren’t doing all those little things that are super important to build the culture of a footy club.

“The guys that left to go elsewhere or that aren’t playing, we turned over close to 30 players on the list. It’s a huge change — Round 1 we had 15 new players run out for their first senior game of footy.

“We’re not winning games of footy … but the attitude and positivity among the group is still there.”

Ben Slattery goes up for a mark. Picture: John Stapleton

Mather said Chirnside Park wanted to develop a core group of players to take the club forward under first-year mentor Dave Newlands.

“It was always going to be about development (this year) and getting the build right to make sure in three or four years’ time, we’ve got a really strong culture, a playing group that has jelled together and have all bought into what we’re trying to do,” he said.

“If you don’t build through your juniors and develop your kids, you’re going to go nowhere and that’s been the really strong thing this year.

“We’ve got 29 under-19s — there are Premier Division clubs that can’t field an under-19s side.

“We’ve actually got guys missing out on a game of footy in the twos every week.

“We’re in a position where we’re actually building something successful that guys want to be part of.”

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