EFL 2019: Doncaster East hunting promotion to Premier Division
Doncaster East is preparing for its fourth grand final in five years as the Lions attempt to win promotion to the EFL’s top flight for the first time in club history.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Doncaster East coach Steve Buckle described it as a “hollow” feeling.
The Lions were last year dancing around the EFL Division 2 premiership after claiming their third flag in club history.
But there was one telling detail missing from the grand final scenes — it came without promotion to the EFL’s top flight.
STAY IN THE GAME WITH A LOCAL FOOTY SUBSCRIPTION
The league last year ruled that the Division 2 premier (now Division 1) would not be promoted as part of the competition restructure.
Did Doncaster East feel hard done by?
“I especially did, but that’s from a selfish point of view,” Buckle said.
“I just wanted the boys to get reward for all their effort and it had been five years in the making
“You finally reach the pinnacle and get it and there was no ultimate reward at the end of the tunnel.
“From my perspective, I was a little bit hollow for the boys.
“(I was) rapt for them that they got the win and they deserved it but I thought they deserved that extra bonus, or at least the option to go up.
“I understand the reasoning behind it, (I) don’t 100 per cent agree with it, but it is what it is.”
Doncaster East will this weekend contest its fourth grand final in five years.
The Lions lost the 2015 and 2017 deciders and thumped Lilydale by 10 goals last year.
Their winning percentage of 73 in the past five years would suggest they are ready for a crack at Premier Division.
But Croydon stands between Doncaster East and entry to the league’s top-tier for the first time in club history in Saturday’s decider at Boronia’s Tormore Reserve.
MORE EASTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE NEWS
FAIRPARK RUCKMAN ENJOYS FLAG SPOILS IN HOSPITAL
KNOX COULD BE HANDED RELEGATION REPRIEVE
WAVERLEY OVERWHELMED IN DIVISION 3 GRAND FINAL
CROYDON ADVANCES TO DIVISION 1 DECIDER
FAIRPARK WINS FIRST FLAG IN 24 YEARS
Buckle is in his sixth season at Zerbes Reserve and said the chance at promotion had been a constant on his mind.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it but I suppose we can’t let that be the be all and end all and take our focus off what needs to be a grand final win,” he said.
“If you start looking at that, that’s just a bonus reward if we get over the line and that’s the way we’ve got to look at it. I think otherwise if we focus too heavily on that, we take our focus off what is at hand.”
He said WAFL recruit Chris Phelan was unlikely to take his place in the side.
The former Subiaco star had his jaw broken in two places in the Round 16 clash against Knox.
“We’ve got everything crossed but if I was a betting man, I wouldn’t be putting anything on him,” Buckle said.
“It’s a six-week injury and it would be five weeks by the time we hit the grand final.”
WHAT A LEADER LOCAL FOOTY SUBSCRIPTION GIVES YOU ACCESS TO
— Match reports, features, player and coach movements and analysis of all the leagues across Melbourne.
— Unprecedented AFL coverage.
— All the latest football news from across the country including Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph and Courier-Mail.
— Latest news and videos from the world’s leading leagues.
— Exclusive digital stories and videos before they go to print.
$300k offers, private plane? World of local footy recruiting uncovered
Local footy recruiting is big business with eye-watering packages being offered around the leagues. DAN BATTEN goes deep inside club land to discover how the mega-deals take place.
Off-season central: every RDFNL club’s recruits
The new season is just around the corner and Riddell District clubs have been busy bolstering their lists. Check out all the news recruits here.