EFL 2022: Eastern Ranges talent Hayden Smith turns heads for The Basin in upset win

The Basin pulled off a ‘season-defining’ result in the EFL’s Division 2, with Eastern Ranges gun Hayden Smith front and centre.

He’s touted as one of the brightest emerging talents on the Eastern league scene.

Seventeen-year-old Hayden Smith played an integral role in The Basin’s thrilling upset victory over finals-fancy Boronia on Saturday, as the Bears scalped the Hawks by seven points in the EFL’s Division 2.

The Eastern Ranges talent finished among the best after lighting it up for the NAB League club of late, garnering the interest of a number of AFL clubs as well as training with VFL outfit Box Hill.

Hayden Smith on the go for the Eastern Ranges. Picture: Supplied

But the draft hopeful’s rise is no shock to The Basin senior coach Justin Stanton, after winning several best-and-fairest awards with the Bears as a junior.

He was among the Ranges’ best the previous week after hauling in 26 possessions, seven inside-50s and four tackles against the Calder Cannons.

Stanton jumped at the chance to play the winger/midfielder with no NAB League on last weekend, lauding the young gun’s “running power” as a major weapon to his game.

And he delivered in just his second senior match for the Bears, who were down two key on-ballers in Jayden Gee and Josh Adams, alongside key forward Jackson Drake.

“(Hayden) played on the wing for the first three quarters then he played in the midfield for the last quarter – he played all day without any rotations and was still running on top of the ground,” Stanton said.

“He’s got a lot of upside and we were keen to throw him in and give him an opportunity … he just brought a youthful enthusiasm to the list.”

The emerging talent represented Vic Metro at 16 years old last year but missed out this season due to an ankle injury.

Eastern Ranges talent manager Danny Ryan says Smith is past his injury woes having rebounded in the past month.

“He’s been going along nicely of late,” Ryan said.

“The last two games with us he’s put in some really strong performances – he’s a skilful player but he’s very hard at the contest and a real competitor.

“He’s starting to get a really good run at it … he’s putting his best foot forward at the moment, he had some issues with his ankle but he’s put that behind him now.

“He’s had three or four weeks with really consistent training at Eastern and that’s showing in his performances for us and obviously for The Basin on the weekend.”

Smith is joined by Ranges teammate Christian Poe at The Basin, who has impressed Stanton this season across six matches as a small forward and defender – and his first three games netted six majors.

Stanton describes the weekend’s victory as “season-defining”, with the Bears shooting into fifth spot with a 5-6 record to remain in the finals hunt.

They led by 33 points over the Hawks at half-time in what looked to be an almighty upset brewing.

But the fourth-placed Boronia had other ideas as it hit back to snatch the lead by seven points at three-quarter time.

The Bears lost key men Trevor Mills and Lachie Kruger to head knocks in the first and third quarters, but Stanton said his men weren’t to be denied with a spot in the five at stake.

“It was more just around what we had at stake compared to what they (Boronia) had at stake – they were already sitting in the five, a game clear,” he said.

“We saw it as a season-defining fourth quarter for us, and subsequently the four points.

“It ended up being a really hard-fought, resilient win for the boys.”

Dean Boavida finished with five goals for The Basin while Boronia defender Jarrod Lake finished best afield for the hosts.