EFL 2019: South Belgrave claims Division 3 premiership to complete undefeated season

It wasn’t without a scare from Waverley Blues, but South Belgrave sailed to the EFL Division 3 premiership to complete one of the most dominant seasons by any side in metropolitan football.

South Belgrave celebrates its EFL Division 3 premiership. Picture: Davis Harrigan

The predictions were right.

Everyone was playing for second as undefeated South Belgrave completed one of the most dominant seasons by an Eastern Football League side.

As expected, the Saints swept to the Division 3 premiership in Saturday’s grand final against Waverley Blues at Ringwood’s Jubilee Park.

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It wasn’t without a scare but it seemed inevitable at halftime that South Belgrave would go through its campaign with an unblemished record, running away with a 12.19 (91) to 5.4 (34) win to finish the year with 20 wins and zero losses.

The Saints started at Winx-like odds but had to come from a few lengths back to overrun their opposition, much like the champion mare.

.@SouthBelgraveFC’s first goalless quarter of the year as @Waverley_Blues takes an 11-point break into the @footyefl Division 3 decider. Is a grand final upset on the cards?

— Toby Prime (@T_Prime2) September 7, 2019

Their first goal didn’t come until halfway through the second term through the avenue of Frank Bibby/Blue Ribbon medallist Leigh Odermatt after Waverley held them goalless in a quarter for the first time this year.

It was the first time the overwhelming premiership favourites, which entered the decider with a 19-0 record, had been placed under any significant pressure for the first time in 2019.

South Belgrave opened with 0.6 and trailed by 16 points before Odermatt provided a settler.

Leigh Odermatt was awarded best on ground honours. Picture: Davis Harrigan

The Saints then proceeded to have 24 of the next 28 scoring opportunities, putting them on course for a 57-point win and their second EFL premiership after joining the competition in 2008.

“That was the most we’ve been challenged all year by a mile,” first-year South Belgrave coach Luke Galliott said.

“I wasn’t panicking, but it was probably the first time I’ve been unrelaxed for the whole year.”

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It was a red-letter day for the red, white and black army, also winning the reserves and under-19s premierships in a clean sweep.

The senior arm of the club lost a combined five games for the season.

Odermatt booted five goals to finish the season with 78 majors, including 11 in South Belgrave’s two finals.

Galliott said he never contemplated defeat.

Liam Kidd collects a disposal for South Belgrave. Picture: Davis Harrigan

“The way we’ve been winning and the way we go about it, I was really confident, but you’ve always got that doubt in the back of your mind,” he said.

“I wasn’t nervous at all and I don’t think our playing group was that nervous. I think we had a really good feel before the game of what was going to happen.”

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