EFL 2019: Matthew and Anthony Mariani among the recruits at East Burwood
East Burwood will enter the Eastern Football League Division 4 season as premiership favourites as it looks to build on last year’s preliminary final appearance.
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East Burwood will enter the Division 4 season as premiership favourites as it looks to build on last year’s preliminary final appearance.
The path has been cleared for the Rams to have a shot at their first flag since 2000, with last year’s grand finalists — Whitehorse Pioneers and Glen Waverley Hawks — promoted to Division 3 as part of the competition restructure.
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Brothers Matthew and Anthony Mariani headline the additions at East Burwood, returning to the club after stints at Templestowe and Whitehorse Pioneers.
The pair last played with the Rams in 2013 and featured in the Pioneers’ premiership last year.
Matthew also won the Paul Edie Medal as the Division 3 best and fairest in 2014 and 2016 while he was at Templestowe.
East Burwood coach Stuart Wynd welcomed expectations his side would be one of the teams to beat in 2019.
“We got injuries that really hurt us towards the back end of the year, and provided we get a bit of luck, we’d like to think we’re certainly in the mix with a couple of other teams,” he said.
Knox premiership player Joel McGown has returned to the Falcons, while Ryan Jeffery (Noosa) is the only other departure of significance.
“Apart from that we’ve pretty much kept our list together … all the other blokes that played senior footy have all stayed,” Wynd said.
The young Vermont trio of Max Healey, Tom Rennie and Kodey Logan have all cross to East Burwood and are in-line for senior opportunities this year.
Fellow ex-Eagle Lewis Neate, who spent last season at Whitefriars, has also been cleared to the Rams.
“They’re all around 21, 22 year olds so that’s what excites us the most,” Wynd said.
“We already had a couple of Vermont boys from the previous year so they’re all sort of mates and wanted to play together.
“They’ve obviously been in a pretty good system in Vermont so they train hard and have good attitudes so they’ll certainly get their opportunities to play senior footy at East Burwood.”
Andre Angemi also looms as a vital acquisition after missing most of last season with a broken ankle, while Mulgrave midfielder Matthew Gould is also on the list of additions.
Wynd said his side’s list was stronger than last year, when it finished with a 14-4 record and won its first final since the 2004 Division 1 preliminary final.
“I think we’ve got about 60 players on our list and close to 30 under-19s as well,” he said.
“We’re hoping our under-19s do a lot better this year as well, which we’re pretty confident they will.”
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