EFL: Doncaster coach Stewart Kemperman encourages clubs to support Berwick move
Dual Berwick premiership coach Stewart Kemperman has encouraged Premier Division rivals to approve the AFL Outer East club’s latest bid to join the EFL.
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Berwick’s attempt to cross to the EFL has the support of one Premier Division mentor — its dual premiership coach Stewart Kemperman.
And Kemperman has encouraged other clubs to vote in favour of the Wickers’ proposed move from AFL Outer East to the Eastern league for the top tier 2021 season.
The league has also asked for clubs to support Berwick’s application to join the competition after its previous attempt to cross from AFL Outer East was rejected.
The move was denied by EFL clubs on September 25.
Kemperman spent two years at Edwin Flack Reserve and coached Berwick to the 2017 and 2018 South East league premierships.
He was appointed coach of Premier Division club Doncaster ahead of the 2019 season and could be facing the prospect of meeting his former club in 2021.
Kemperman, a teacher at Haileybury College’s Berwick campus, said the Wickers would be a good addition to the competition.
“I think it would be terrific for the league to expand out this way and give young, up-and-coming footballers an opportunity to play at arguably the highest local standard in the state,” Kemperman said.
“I think Berwick is the perfect gateway for that for a lot of kids in this region.”
Berwick claimed three South East league flags in four years between 2015 and 2018 and finished as minor premier in the top flight of AFL Outer East but was upset in the grand final by Narre Warren.
In its previous submission to join the EFL, the club said: “Berwick has a population of 50,000 and at some point has to realise it has outgrown country football.”
Kemperman said Berwick’s population, strong junior program, facilities and ability to achieve success made for a compelling case.
He tipped Berwick would not be out of place in the EFL’s top flight.
“From an on-field perspective, they would certainly be more than competitive based upon results over the past four years at that footy club and practice matches as well that they’ve had against top-line EFL teams,” he said.
“You can read into that what you want but they’ve been competitive and to my knowledge, I’d suggest there is no reason why they wouldn’t be competitive in the top tier of the competition.”
Kemperman added the move to the Eastern competition could only make Berwick stronger.
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“What it might do is strengthen their seniors because there is a lot of Berwick junior players that have gone to find that higher level of footy at Noble Park or Rowville and clubs of that nature, who might then filter back to Berwick,” he said.
“With that in mind, I’d suggest they’d be pushing for finals. I don’t think they’d be there making up the numbers.”
EFL clubs will vote on the application at the league’s AGM on December 4 at the Karralyka Centre, East Ringwood.
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