EFNL Premier Division 2025: Deja vu as Sam Weideman, Vermont edge Mitcham – again

Three weeks returned from a shoulder injury, ex-AFL forward Sam Weideman was back to his match-winning best on Saturday, as Vermont staged an eerily familiar narrow escape of Mitcham.

EFNL 2025: Sam Weideman celebrates one of his five majors on Saturday. Picture: Vermont FC

‘Deja vu’ – the phenomenon of feeling like one has lived through the present situation in the past.

Eastern league fans could be forgiven for thinking they’d been transported back three months on Saturday, as Vermont held off a gallant Mitcham by a whisker for the second time this season.

In Round 1, it was ex-AFL forward Sam Weideman proving the difference against the Tigers with a dominant last term in a 10-point escape.

On Saturday, an eerily familiar story unfolded, with the Eagles prevailing 12.9 (81) to 11.9 (75), as the former Demon and Bomber finished with a bag of five goals.

Two of those came when it mattered most – in the clinches of a high-octane final quarter against a ruthless Tigers outfit which edged ahead by a point, a minute into the term.

The visitors could smell blood.

“The rivalry always creates a close contest, and they (Mitcham) were great on the weekend – they really took it up to us,” Weideman said, who also hit the post in the final quarter.

“We were able to put it together in the last quarter, hold the lead and stand up when it mattered.”

EFNL 2025: Weideman also took Mitcham by the scruff of the neck in Round 1. Picture: Field of View Photography

Mitcham – hungrily hunting just its second win of the season – trailed by almost four goals midway through the third quarter.

With 16 minutes expired in the last, it was 74 apiece.

Enter Vermont’s Fraser Smith, who kicked truly from directly in front at the 21-minute mark to seal the deal.

Pitted against a back six which slingshotted plenty of the Eagles’ forward entries in a third-quarter momentum swing, Weideman was ably-assisted by a potent attack.

“They were really solid, defensively,” Weideman said of Mitcham.

“We knew they would have certain plans going into the game and it was just trying to find ways that we can attack through different avenues – we have a lot of firepower up there.

“Noah Bourke (one goal), Zac Thiessen (two), Kane Oppy (one) … they really bring energy and create avenues to goal.

“It was on us that we weren’t just bombing it in and making it easy to defend – we wanted to lower our eyes and really challenge their defence.

“I feel like we did that for most of the game, but in patches they were able to get on top and repel pretty quickly.”

Weideman’s haul of five on Saturday marked 11 goals in his past three outings since returning from a shoulder injury suffered in Round 3.

After Round 1, he declared his Vermont homecoming was “One of the greatest days I’ve had on the footy field”.

That spark has returned since donning the purple and gold again after a four-week lay-off – first feared as season-ending.

“It’s nice to be back. The shoulder’s feeling great, (and) I was very happy I was able to get back fairly quickly … I initially thought it could be season-ending, as a lot of AC joints are, but new technologies and new surgeries have allowed me to come back pretty quickly,” Weideman said.

“I’ve got full confidence, I’m able to get strength back into it (my shoulder), and do pretty much anything I was able to do before … I’m really enjoying my footy.”

He added: “I’ve got my priorities in check now – being injured for four weeks gave me time to focus on being a husband and a father and just enjoying family time, and also supporting the boys from a coaching perspective and bringing what I can to the group in a positive way.”

Despite 20 goals from six matches this season, the 28-year-old hasn’t been short of a few words of advice from opposition supporters over the fence.

But he’ll continue to prove them wrong in his return to the ‘burbs.

“I’ve copped a fair bit,” Weideman laughed.

“I get told I’m ‘past it’ pretty regularly, but you get a lot – it’s all good fun. I just tend to look back and laugh – they get a bit of a kick out of it as well.

“It definitely helps having a few goals next to your name, that’s for sure.”

Vermont sits fifth on the ladder with a 5-5 record ahead of an away clash with Doncaster East.