EFL: Rowville looks for a scalp as it continues to push for a Division 1 finals berth

AFTER a promising start to its Eastern Football League season, Rowville is in need of a scalp if it is to push for a return to Division 1 finals.

Mitchell Garner in the ruck for Rowville. Picture: Stuart Milligan

ASKED if he needed one, Rowville coach John Brown was quick to reply he wanted two.

The Hawks have dropped their past three games after a promising start to the Eastern Football League Division 1 season and are in need of a scalp if they want to remain in the top five.

The Hawks reached 5-1 and were a game clear inside the top three before the interleague bye but now cling to their position in the five on percentage ahead of Balwyn and North Ringwood.

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Rowville’s only win against a fellow top five side this year came against Doncaster in Round 2, with losses to Blackburn, Vermont and South Croydon since.

The Hawks face Blackburn and Doncaster again in the next fortnight and Brown said his side needed to “take both scalps”.

“Some of the results haven’t gone our way, unfortunately, not that it is an excuse, but certainly a reason (is) in terms of having some of our key senior players out injured at a really important stage of the season,” Brown said.

“We are a young team that needs some experience and leadership out on the ground and that is an area of development for us.”

Rowville has been forced to employ a makeshift forward line in recent weeks with Damian Garner, Matt Robinson, Chris Clarke and Lachlan McDonald missing through injury.

But all four could return for this weekend’s clash against Blackburn.

“That forward third has really hurt us, we are matching the opposition for inside 50s but our conversion rate has been extremely low,” Brown said.

“The pleasing thing is it has given us an opportunity to play some young kids, we’ve had 18-year-old Riley D’Arcy in the forward line, Kane Young, who is only 19, play in the forward line, Will Stephenson, who is only 19, play in the forward line.
“It has given them some good exposure and opportunity but against the likes of Vermont, Noble (Park), South Croydon, you need experienced campaigners.”