EFNL 2025: Bayswater upsets Beaconsfield in Eastern’s Division 1

With just one win from six matches, the odds were firmly stacked against Bayswater in its trip to Beaconsfield on Saturday. What followed was a mammoth upset ...

EFNL 2025: Bayswater's Christian Poe was best afield on Saturday. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Talk about backs to the wall.

With just one win from its opening six matches, the odds were firmly stacked against Bayswater in its trip to Holm Park Reserve on Saturday to take on one of Eastern Division 1’s teams to beat, Beaconsfield.

What followed was a mammoth upset, with the visitors stunning the top-four outfit 10.8 (68) to 9.8 (62) after trailing by seven points at three-quarter time.

Bayswater senior coach Luke Harris said his side’s will and want had been evident in recent weeks, no less against ladder-leader South Belgrave the previous weekend in a heavy loss.

“It (Saturday) was real reward for effort, we’ve been smashed with injury from Round 1,” Harris said.

“(We played) seven or eight 21-and-unders, and not a lot of experience, so our backs were against the wall a little bit.

“We turned the corner against South Belgrave – we thought we played pretty well even though the scoreboard didn’t suggest it.

“We set about taking Beaconsfield’s ball movement away from half-back and brought a lot of pressure.”

EFNL 2025: Bayswater coach Luke Harris. Picture: Leesa Clarkson

Christian Poe led the way through the midfield as best-on-ground for the Waters with two goals – often standing ex-AFL Tiger Jake Aarts.

“He was outstanding – he went to Jake at stoppage … but we got him out on the spread a bit and he hit the scoreboard twice which was great,” Harris said.

But he wasn’t the only one impressing the coach.

“Paul Haasbroek’s been in great form all year, he’s a class footballer and teams put a bit of work into him, and ‘Chilli’ (Tim Castricum) in the ruck was awesome – he’s got so much upside,” Harris said.

“There’s not a player on the team that didn’t put in four quarters of real effort, so we were rapt with the result.”

EFNL 2025: Bayswater ruckman Tim Castricum. Picture: Leesa Clarkson

The result lifted the Waters to a 2-5 record – two wins clear of last-placed Norwood – and Harris was confident the victory would instil belief in his emerging group.

“We’ve been talking to the boys about bringing their best effort and energy to each week, and the last two weeks we’ve done that,” he said.

“If we do that each week, we’re going to give the game plan a real chance to stand up against the best teams.”

Bayswater is set to welcome back a handful of regular starters following the King’s Birthday break, with captain Ben White due to return against North Ringwood following a dislocated ankle in Round 1, while Chase Harris and Lachie Kruger are also in the frame.

Defenders Daniel Kitto and Ben Searle are out for the season.

“We’re just starting to scratch the surface with this group, so we can’t wait for the second half of the year and keep on trying to improve,” Harris said.