EFL 2019: Park Orchards starts its Eastern Football League season with a 35-point win over Upper Ferntree Gully
Park Orchards recruit Dennis Armfield marked his first game in charge of the Sharks with a 35-point win over Upper Ferntree Gully.
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Park Orchards recruit Dennis Armfield marked his first game in charge of the Sharks with a 35-point win over Upper Ferntree Gully on Saturday.
Armfield took the reins as coach for the first time on the weekend and delivered a 15.16 (106) to 10.11 (71) win in the Round 1 clash against last year’s preliminary finalists at Domeney Reserve.
The former Carlton fan favourite was one of the big recruits to land in Division 1 during the off-season, replacing premiership mentor Jarrod Bayliss as coach.
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There was no Bayliss, Daniel Gorringe or Michael Fowkes after the trio departed the club during the summer, but instead the wave of young talent continues to emerge at Park Orchards.
“They’re three great players and three assets you’d still love to have around the club of course but we’ve got some great new blokes in place now and that allows what Park Orchards has developed really well and that’s our youth to come through,” Armfield said.
“Sometimes having blokes like that can stunt the growth of your youth at times and I think some of your young boys really stood up.”
Three-time Balwyn premiership star Jarrad Wright wound back the clock with a best afield showing to start his second season at Park Orchards in style.
“Even after the game, we tried to pick six (in the best) … but across the board we had a good even impact,” Armfield said.
“If you can get 16-plus of your team playing above their average, then you go a long way to being in the game.
“They’ve picked up what I’ve tried to implement through the pre-season and we’ve got a few game modes we’re able to fall back on, which is really good and I just think we’ve got an even spread across the ground.
“Our forwards, mids and backs, we’re not just relying on one or two anymore, we can have an even spread.”
Armfield said he had been impressed by the club’s ability to adapt in his first season in charge.
“From what I have seen, it is probably just the ability for the players to play their role, understand sometimes they’re going to be getting the ball and understand they may not,” he said.
“It’s more about what they’re doing without the ball, I think that progression has really stepped up a little bit but besides that the team bonding, jelling and understanding each other still has to grow but it’s a great way to start.”
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