EFL 2019: Doncaster falls to a 0-3 start in the Eastern Football League after 54-point loss to Rowville

Doncaster will need to defy history if they are to reach a fourth consecutive finals series after falling to a 0-3 start.

James Siakavallis looks to give a handball. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Both Doncaster and Rowville made Eastern Football League finals last year.

But on Saturday’s evidence, only one will be returning to the top five in 2019.

Rowville withstood a challenge from Doncaster midway through its Premier clash before posting a 54-point win at Schramms Reserve.

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It left the Sharks winless after the first three rounds and needing to defy history if they are to reach a fourth consecutive finals series.

Nick Komen flies for a mark. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Doncaster closed the margin to nine points early in the third quarter before Rowville kicked eight of the last 10 goals to finish with a comfortable win.

The Sharks have made the past three top-tier finals series and finished in the top three last year but have started the season 0-3.

Only twice in the past 12 years (Norwood in 2010 and Knox in 2011) has a top-tier Eastern Football League side made finals after dropping its first three games.

Doncaster coach Stewart Kemperman said his side’s depth was being tested.

Senior regulars Jessie Finnen, Ewen McKenzie, Blair Whelan, Todd Van der Haar, Angelo Rambaldi, Tom Bartholomew and Luke Stacker are all missing with injury.

Recruit Nathan Batsanis also returned for his first game on the weekend.

Harry Conway, Jake Hall and James Saville all departed over the summer, leaving the Sharks to field a new-look side.

“It challenges your depth and it’s something we need to continue to work to educate the players on and the way we want to play,” Kemperman said.

“It’s such a tight competition and it’s a long year, we’ve still got 15 games to go and a huge compliment of our senior players are still out with injury.

“We’re looking at perhaps five or six players coming back in hopefully over the next few weeks.

“That will certainly give us a better balance across the ground but can’t sugarcoat it, 0-3 is not where we want to be.”

Marcus Alessi is taken in a tackle. Picture: Hamish Blair

Kemperman said the return of the Sharks’ key personnel would help lead to a turnaround.

“We accept we’re in a challenging spot and we need to accept it’s going to be a collective that we’ll get through it together — we won’t get through it because one or two players are coming back,” he said.

“We’ve all got to dig in and show some resolve and resilience to get ourselves out.”

Doncaster kicked the first goal of the contest but had to wait until nearly halftime for its second.

Despite Rowville’s dominance, the scoreboard showed it only led by 15 points at the long break.

The margin was cut to less than two goals when a Nick Komen snap gave the Sharks their fourth goal.

But from there it was one-way traffic as Rowville strolled to a 13.17 (95) to 6.5 (41) win.

The result lifted the Hawks to a 3-0 record — their best start to a season since they won the 2012 Division 2 premiership.

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