EFNL 2021: Division 1 preview, club-by-club
The Eastern league’s Division 1 is again shaping as the most even of the five tiers, as we analyse each club’s fortunes for 2021.
Eastern
Don't miss out on the headlines from Eastern. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It was far and away the most even of the Eastern league’s five divisions last time around.
Just four points separated fourth to seventh positions on the ladder at the conclusion of 2019 with upsets aplenty, and the average winning margin was around four goals. Meanwhile, six wins — hardly a paltry amount — was enough for relegation.
And if competition for finals spots is anywhere near as hot as it was in ‘19, then Eastern league followers are in for a treat this year.
Check out our club-by-club Division 1 analysis below …
BAYSWATER
Coach: Tom Roach
2019 finish: Fourth
Young talent runs deep at Bayswater with three of its top four in its 2019 best and fairest aged under 21.
That’s set to be the theme again this season with the club locking away a host of young guns, headlined by reigning Division 1 comp and club best and fairest Kurt Lopo, and rising star Ben White.
While experience has departed since its last campaign, with spearhead Wayne McInerney off to Ferntree Gully with Mat Camera returning to the Eagles, it’s welcomed back 2016 premiership defender Dave Eddy.
But it’s been an otherwise quiet lead-in on the recruiting front for the ‘Waters, on the back of a 9-9 record last season.
Senior mentor Tom Roach has recommitted for a further two years with an eye on the future of the club, keen to further develop the younger stocks and invest in the future.
The ‘Waters are also coming off two consecutive finals campaigns, and with a line of experienced players still remaining, headed by long-serving skipper Joel Galvin, they’ve backed their list in for another tilt, as they should.
CROYDON
Coach: Morris D’Alessandro
2019 finish: Runner-up
Have had to wait an extra 12 months to start on the path to redemption following a grand final appearance in 2019, but the Blues have hit the ground running following some handy recruiting this off-season.
Former Box Hill tall Dale Hehir headlines that, with the forward crossing from Premier club Rowville where he played 15 senior matches in 2019.
He booted almost 150 goals in his four-season stint in the senior ranks at Scoresby where he last played in 2018, topping the Division 3 comp goalkicking with 71 majors that year on his way to Team of the Year Selection.
Hehir is joined by midfielder Jayden Cyster, who last played at Croydon in 2016 before joining Rowville where he played 40 senior matches from 2017-19 and had a brief stint with now-defunct VFL outfit Northern Blues. Speedy mid/forward Tori Klaas-Henry also joins the fold from Lilydale where he played 51 senior matches from 2016-19, including the 2018 Division 2 grand final.
The list looks young but the bonus is they’ll be complemented by experienced heads including Jimmy Grant, Josh Bolton and Justin Ficorilli, with the latter booting 26 and 43 goals respectively across the past two seasons.
With the list improvements vast, expect Croydon to give the flag a real shake this season.
EAST RINGWOOD
Coach: Ben Osborne
2019 finish: Seventh
The headline story out of the Pouch in the build-up to Round 1 has been the retirement of two of its star big men in Andrew Renton and Dean Cleven. They’ll be missed after mammoth contributions to the ‘Roos over a decade but coach Ben Osborne says he’s confident his club can fill the void, with forward Ben Hickleton, tall mid and ex-Coburg name James Belo and new recruit Hannin Mundy touted to serve time in the ruck.
The key inclusion is South Croydon premiership defender Dale Walker, who’ll serve as a playing-assistant to Osborne and will certainly boost the ‘Roos back six.
He’s joined by ex-Eastern Ranges vice-captain and 2013 premiership star Mitch Keedle, who’s slated to play across half-back or the wing. 2016 best and fairest Josh Weightman returns from his VFL stint with Coburg and midfielder Jayden Battaglene has committed following a year with QAFL outfit Sandgate.
East Ringwood has not contested finals since 2008 but the evenness of the division alongside its handy inclusions make that goal a real possibility in Osborne’s first full season.
LILYDALE
Coach: Brendan Fulton
2019 finish: Third
Change has been the main theme for the Falcons in the lead in to 2021, both on and off the field.
Off-field, Ben Neagle has exited the role as senior coach after four seasons and Brendan Fulton has stepped into the gig.
Senior stars Lachie Wilson (Barwon Heads), Samuel Baker (Mooroolbark), Patrick Klep (South Croydon), Tori Klaas-Henry (Croydon), Lachlan Koger (Coldstream) and former captain Brad Lowe headline a long list of departures, but Fulton has says he’s invested in the club’s youth. Jesse Ebert, Jordan Jaworski, Eden Champion, Jack Bateman, Josh White, Jackson Flint and Riley Clausen are all names Fulton’s touted to take the club forward, alongside incoming Blackburn quicks Oscar Aliotta and Jayden Wilson.
With a tinkered game-plan expected, Fulton’s confident the Falcons can surprise external naysayers in 2021.
“We’ll look to have a lot more structure forward of the footy, but we’re not going to take away the natural flair of the side which is run-and-gun – without giving too much away, we want to play high-energy pressure football,” he said.
The club is coming off three consecutive finals campaigns following a third-placed finish to last season with an 11-7 record and all eyes will be watching with interest around how the Falcons’ new era and game-plan stands up.
MITCHAM
Coach: Neil Winterton
2019 finish: Division 2 premiers
It seems an eternity since the Tigers lifted the ’19 Division 2 cup following one of the most remarkable deciders in recent memory, but after a long lay-off they finally get the chance to take on a new division.
There’s been minimal player exits, but they will be boosted by the inclusion of key defender Dylan Brookes, who crosses from Outer East Division 2 outfit Yarra Junction where he was the vice-captain and featured in its 2018 premiership side. Coach Neil Winterton says he’ll address a key need in defence, adding size to the back six. Port Melbourne-listed big man and premiership Oakleigh Charger Josh May has also aligned with the club, and he’ll be a welcome addition to the line-up when or if VFL commitments permit.
The big question mark on the Tigers this season will be around how they adapt to playing up a division. But Winterton is adamant they’re better prepared and in better shape than last time around which yielded 15 wins from 54 starts across three seasons in the second tier from 2016-18.
MOOROOLBARK
Coach: Bret Lavars
2019 finish: Eighth
The Mustangs have been one of the most active clubs on the recruiting front in preparation for 2021, shaping as one of the division’s hottest prospects.
Star big man James Charge returns from Olinda-Ferny Creek in the Outer East’s top-flight, where he tied for the league medal in 2019, claimed a third Team of the Year nod and topped the club goalkicking for a second consecutive time after featuring in the Bloods’ flag in ’17.
But they’ve also moved to bolster their small stocks in the forward line and midfield, with the additions of Samuel Baker who crosses from fellow Division 1 club Lilydale, and Austin Smith who makes the move from Outer East Division 2 club Yarra Glen.
Baker enjoyed a breakout season for the Falcons in 2019 where he became one of the division’s most prolific small forwards, earning selection in the forward pocket in the Division 1 Team of the Year.
Smith has won the past three best and fairest awards at Yarra Glen, finished runner-up in the comp medal in ’19, and also served as vice-captain across the past two seasons.
He’ll combine with the likes of Aaron Mullett, Matt Polkinghorne and Kane Noonan, making for one of the division’s most exciting midfield brigades.
Former AFL Kangaroo and current VFL Frankston gun Will Fordham has also aligned with the club, and will be a major boost if he finds himself available to play for the Mustangs at any stage.
Expect the Mustangs to bolt up the ladder this season.
MONTROSE
Coach: Peter Bastinac
2019 finish: 10th in Premier Division (relegated)
This season presents the Demons an opportunity to reset and refresh in a lower division, following relegation from the top tier where they competed for six seasons.
It’ll be a welcome change, after just six wins from the past 36 matches but there’s also a keen eye on the future according to the club, with a raft of exciting, young prospects in line for regular senior selection this season.
Former Eastern Ranges names Beau Tennant, Tyler Birchall and Bailey White are part of that following exposure to senior footy, while Montrose also has Hugh Bassett, Max Hall, Ben Johnson and Brad Watson in the NAB League program.
Led by skipper Brendan Gardoll and champion ruckman Andrew Haining, there’s enough talent there to suggest the Demons could hold their own in the league’s second tier, but they pose as the great unknown embarking on a notoriously even competition.
PARK ORCHARDS
Coach: Dennis Armfield
2019 finish: Fifth
If you’re a believer in premiership windows, then it’s wide open for the Sharks.
Two finals wins and a preliminary final berth capped off 2019 after finishing fifth to qualify, marking the club’s first post-season in Division 1 since its promotion at the end of 2017.
The bonus is the list has remained mostly intact, but they’ve also added ex-Sydney, Western Bulldogs and Carlton utility Andrejs Everitt, who’s received a clearance from Western Region league outfit Yarraville Seddon. He links up with ex-Blues teammate and current Sharks coach Dennis Armfield and brings 131 AFL games’ experience to the club.
Bearing in mind the Sharks were already ranked second in the comp in ’19 for attack, and they make a serious case to be around the mark at season’s end. The key question is whether they can tighten up defensively, conceding the most points of any side.
But it didn’t finish fifth in typical fashion in ‘19. Finals weren’t known for the Sharks until late afternoon of their last home-and-away match, after they had accounted for Bayswater at Domeney Reserve, and Knox had done them the favour of downing Upper Ferntree Gully.
What their finals campaign largely proved was that they’re more than a handful for opposition sides at their best, with two rousing wins against Bayswater and Lilydale on the way to a prelim final showdown with Croydon.
The next step is there for the taking this season.
UPPER FERNTREE GULLY
Coach: Luke Tynan
2019 finish: Sixth
The Kings enter 2021 with significant departures from the list.
The linchpin of its on-ball brigade – Tom Meagher – has headed for the sunshine state where he’s linked with midfielder Matt Lee who departed following 2019, with the pair set to play together at QAFL club Labrador.
They’ll will miss Meagher’s big-bodied presence around the contest, as well as Lee’s damaging work through the middle, while co-captain and dual premiership star Andrew Godfrey has also departed, linking with Southern league club Dingley.
But the changes haven’t just been on the field. Upper Gully has also had a change of coach with Stephen Deluca stepping aside during 2020, with former star VFL defender Luke Tynan stepping into the role as playing-coach.
The Kings missed the finals in 2019 with an 8-10 record, and at the end of last season brought in fellow VFL recruits David De Araugo and Michael Riseley who played alongside Tynan at Casey.
How will they adapt to life without some of the stars that have been their lifeblood for so long? Time will tell.
WANTIRNA SOUTH
Coach: Steve Cochrane
2019 finish: Ninth
The Devils hit the recruiting market all guns blazing heading into 2020, and they’ll be hoping to see the fruits of that this season after narrowly avoiding relegation in 2019.
Up to 10 of those ‘new’ recruits come from Premier powerhouse Vermont, including Charlie Young, James Krikas, Hamish McGowan, Patrick Wallis and Jack O’Keefe, who’ve all had exposure to senior footy in the top division.
They all featured in the Eagles’ reserves flag in 2019, and McGowan and Wallis tied for the league’s under-19 best and fairest in 2017, while O’Keefe topped the league’s Premier reserves goalkicking with 58 majors last time around.
Robbie McComb makes up the swag of Eagles recruits but is expected to play the bulk of his footy with Footscray in the VFL.
Meanwhile, Knox premiership forward Marcus Jordan will be a welcome addition to the Devils’ attack.
Jordan’s inclusion alongside O’Keefe’s will provide a major boost inside 50, as the club registered just 973 points in 2019 – ranked 10th in Division 1.
Of the existing talent, Lincoln Wong is coming off a career-best season, finishing third in the comp’s Wright Medal and taking out the Devils’ senior best and fairest after playing all 18 matches.
But premiership players Taylor Leggate and Sean Young headlined the key omissions with the pair linking up with Boronia.
Consistency remains the key for the Devils, after they managed to string three wins together just once in ‘19, but with added firepower and top-flight experience, this may be their best shot in years for a finals return.
All the latest Eastern league key signings
Ex-AFL talent, state league names, homecoming heroes and more – there’s been no shortage of key player signings across all five Eastern league divisions …
Revealed: The biggest and best Eastern league recruits
There’s been no shortage of top-drawer recruits putting pen to paper at Eastern league clubs this off-season, from ex-AFL stars to state league talents and more. We’ve named the best.