EFNL 2024: 30 Division 1 names to watch this season
Bursting with talent from rising stars, dynamic midfielders, ex-AFL guns and more, we’ve listed 30 Eastern league Division 1 names to keep an eye on this season. See who made the cut.
Eastern
Don't miss out on the headlines from Eastern. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It was arguably the Eastern league’s most exciting division last season.
Bursting with talent from rising stars, dynamic midfielders, ex-AFL guns and more, we’ve listed 30 names, in alphabetical order, to keep an eye on this season.
Cayden Black (South Belgrave)
Still only 20, the son of former AFL Saint and Docker Heath has had no worries adapting to the rigours of senior footy across the past three seasons, with the midfielder winning a premiership with South Belgrave in Division 2 in 2022. He was a key part of the Saints’ flag push in Division 1 last year, which fell short to Mitcham.
Jesse Cherry (Mitcham)
One of the leading clearance-winners and inside-50 entry players in Eastern’s Division 1 competition, the midfielder was a key to the Tigers’ finals push last season, finishing best afield in Mitcham’s Division 1 grand final win.
Ben Dessent (Montrose)
Pipped by a vote last season for a second consecutive club best and fairest, the midfielder averaged 26 possessions a match in 2023 on his way to Team of the Year selection.
Kyle Elliott (Doncaster)
Lands at Schramms Reserve from Premier powerhouse Balwyn, where he was the No. 1 ruck. He’s set to assume that mantle for the Sharks, and coach Chris Annakis has high hopes: “To have the experience of Kyle who has spent a lot of time in the ruck and playing that first-ruck position at a Premier club, it’s really going to teach these guys and help our midfield,” he told Leader.
Aaron Fenton (North Ringwood)
The experienced premiership midfielder returned to the fold last season to resounding success, running second for the club’s best and fairest after averaging 18 touches, seven tackles and five clearances a game. His consistency stood out, featuring in the Saints’ best on 11 occasions from 16 matches.
Mitch Garner (South Belgrave)
The experienced ruckman starred again last season with commanding performances through the Saints’ engine room, named in the best in 12 of his 20 matches on the way to the No. 1 ruck spot in the Team of the Year. Also produced two best-afield showings against fellow finalist, Montrose.
Taylor Garner (South Belgrave)
The ex-AFL Kangaroo booted 39 goals from 12 matches last season, putting on best-afield performances against finalists Montrose (six goals) and Beaconsfield (seven) among five mentions. Consistency was a cornerstone of his game, hitting the scoreboard in each of his outings. The 30-year-old has been a nice pick-up for the Saints since joining in 2022.
Ryan Garthwaite (Montrose)
The ex-AFL Tiger kicked 49 goals from 15 matches last year in his maiden Eastern league season, including a bag of seven against finalist Beaconsfield. He notched four best-on-ground showings, among eight mentions in the best. But it wasn’t just the goals he kicked – his game-sense stood out, particularly among finals pressure, earning his side a one-point win over Mitcham in extra time of a qualifying final after punching the ball through the big sticks. “That says a little bit about where Ryan’s been able to be in the (AFL) system … to be under a lot of pressure and to have that clear mindset (was impressive),” Montrose coach Gary Ayres told Leader at the time.
Liam Kidd (South Belgrave)
After more than a year sidelined, the dual league medallist last season completed a remarkable return from a severe foot injury which threatened to end his career, helping the Saints to a grand final in the second half of the campaign. Coach Heath Black says the gritty midfielder has enjoyed a strong pre-season and is fit and firing ahead of another season.
Guy Laughlin (Mitcham)
The 23-year-old had a major impact for the Tigers up forward and through the midfield last season, helping the club to the Division 1 finals and a premiership. Kicking 32 goals from 22 games, including a crucial major in the final term of the seesawing grand final, there was no denying his presence as the pressure swelled.
Tyreece Leiu (South Belgrave)
Split his time between the Saints and the state league last year, with 12 appearances in Division 1 for seven mentions in the best. The versatile 194cm talent was overlooked at the 2021 draft, but later won an opportunity with the Blues’ VFL outfit, playing 12 matches in his debut season in 2022. Back full-time with South this season, he’s a tough match-up for most at 90-odd kg.
Ben Livingstone (North Ringwood)
The emerging half-back is an integral part a stingy back six at the Saints which finished the home-and-away season ranked fourth for scores against – a key reason the club was able to play finals in Division 1.
Michael Locco (North Ringwood)
The Saints’ ever-reliable full-back is fresh off a Team of the Year guernsey despite missing four matches. In fact, of his 14 matches last season, he was named in the best in 10 of those. And coach Robbie Nahas isn’t short of praise: “He’s the most consistent player I’ve coached throughout my time at North Ringwood … every week he’s in our best two or three players,” he told Leader last season.
Greg Lord (Montrose)
The defender’s maiden season at the Dees culminated in the club’s best and fairest and a Team of the Year guernsey on the half-back flank, playing among an outfit which finished second on the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season. His numbers stacked up favourably, too, averaging 28 disposals per game, eight rebound-50s, eight clearances and six marks.
Tom Lovell (Mitcham)
Arguably the highest individual honour in footy is winning the club best and fairest in a premiership year, which the star ruckman accomplished last year as the Tigers clinched an upset grand final win. Of the 20 games the key tall played, he was in his side’s best on 14 occasions – five of those as best afield – as he posted a top-five finish in the league medal. He hit the scoreboard, too, kicking 16 majors.
Ryley Monkhorst (Mooroolbark)
He was one of the most dominant ruckmen in the division last season, pipped for the No. 1 spot in the Team of the Year, but there was no denying the big Mustang’s impact – 12 times in the best from 17 matches.
Kane Noonan (Mooroolbark)
The former Coburg VFL midfielder was one of the Mustangs’ most consistent last season, with the skipper earning 10 mentions in the best from 16 showings – four of those as best-afield.
Jafar Ocaa (Beaconsfield)
The former Dandenong Stingray was leading Beaconsfield’s goalkicking last season with 32 majors from 14 matches before suffering a broken leg in late July which ended his campaign. Despite the sour ending to the season, Ocaa’s showing still earned him a Team of the Year nod on the half-forward flank – one of just two Eagles to make the cut. He might have missed out on Beaconsfield’s maiden Eastern finals appearance, but his scoring power earlier in the piece certainly helped it achieve the feat.
Jake Parente (Mitcham)
Where do we begin with the star spearhead? He capped off an unlikely comeback story with a premiership medal last season, finishing the Tigers’ stunning grand final upset win with a leading three majors.
Featuring for the Northern Bullants in the VFL most of last season, the grand final marked just his fourth senior game of the year for the Tigers after calf and knee injuries had threatened to derail a return.
Mitcham coach Neil Winterton rolled the dice on the forward following his homecoming from a late-season trip to Europe, with Parente starring in his preliminary final recall, kicking two goals.
He’s back full-time with the Tigers this season.
Michael Prosenak (Park Orchards)
One of the Sharks’ standouts in a lean campaign in the top division last season, the experienced forward kicked 26 goals from 14 matches and was nine times in his side’s best, averaging 20 disposals a game.
Michael Schwab (Montrose)
Combining pace, footy IQ and an ability to hunt the ball, it was some season for the mid-forward after crossing from the VAFA’s De La Salle, kicking 29 goals from 16 matches. Coach Gary Ayres was impressed at the gun recruit’s development: “(Michael) is a real example on what a young boy can do when he starts to get a bit of confidence and belief at what he can do at the level,” he told Leader last season.
Ben Searle (Bayswater)
Averaging 18 disposals and five rebound-50s a match, the dashing defender nabbed a spot on the half-back flank in the Team of the Year, standing out with four best-on-ground showings – two of those against grand finalists, South Belgrave and Mitcham.
Ryan Silver (South Belgrave)
Full-back in the Team of the Year among a defence which conceded almost 100 points less than the next best, Silver averaged seven rebound-50s and 3.5 marks a game last season. The former Upper Gully man has been a rock in the South Belgrave back six.
Austin Smith (Mooroolbark)
Two Division 1 league medals in the past three seasons tells you all you need to know of the midfielder’s dominance since joining the Mustangs ahead of the 2021 campaign. Last season he averaged 28 disposals, five inside-50s and eight clearances a match. His collection of medals continues to grow following three best and fairest awards at Outer East Division 2 outfit Yarra Glen before crossing to Mooroolbark – and he doesn’t look like slowing down.
Tim Smith (South Belgrave)
The former AFL Demon backed up a Division 2 league medal-winning 2022 season – in which he fired off a leading 77 goals – topping Division 1 with 54 goals in ’23, also helping the Saints to an unbeaten home-and-away campaign and a grand final. The forward fell just shy of a second consecutive league best and fairest last season, missing out by a sole vote.
Jesse Uren (Mitcham)
One of the Tigers’ best performed in their premiership-winning finals campaign, the midfielder averaged 25 possessions a match last season earning a Team of the Year nod.
Lincoln Wong (Wantirna South)
The ever-consistent Devils’ midfielder followed on from a league best and fairest in 2022 with another Team of the Year gong in ’23, finishing equal-fourth for the comp medal. Best-afield three times among six mentions, Wong also slotted 16 goals for the season.
Jack Whelan (North Ringwood)
The Saints’ veteran bounced back from an injury-riddled 2022 season with a top-four finish in the Division 1 league medal in ’23. A winner of two comp best and fairests, the midfielder’s return to the Saints’ engine room proved vital as the club marked its first finals appearance in a decade.
Ben White (Bayswater)
Won eight consecutive junior competition best-and-fairest awards from under-12s through to 17s – and now at 23, he’s long established himself as not only one of the Waters’ star players, but one of the top midfielders of Division 1. Team of the Year in 2023.
Brandon White (Beaconsfield)
The former AFL Saint was a key pillar for Beacy in defence last season, gathering almost 25 disposals a match alongside six marks and eight rebound-50s, finishing with a Team of the Year nod at centre half-back. A key driver behind the Eagles’ maiden Eastern finals appearance.
Nathan Wright (Beaconsfield)
What can the ex-AFL man produce in his first EFNL season? The former St Kilda utility crosses from top-flight Southern league club Chelsea Heights where he played 17 matches last year. Reunites with former St Kilda names Brandon White and Darren Minchington at the Eagles.
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 ...
Latest Eastern league coaching moves
Some are in and some are out. Keep up with all the latest moves here ...