EFNL 2025: How Templestowe dismantled Heathmont in Division 2 opener

Premiership pals turned adversaries on Saturday as two of Eastern Division 2’s fancied teams locked horns, with Templestowe making a statement against a rejuvenated Heathmont.

Templestowe head coach Nick Batsanis hatched a plan to nullify Doncaster East premiership teammate and prized Heathmont recruit James Appleby. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

Templestowe knew it simply had to stop Heathmont’s prized recruit.

The Dockers opened their Division 2 season with a 12.6 (78) to 7.9 (51) victory over the Jets on Saturday – with one player fixed firmly in the sights of senior coach Nick Batsanis.

The player? None other than marquee Heathmont signing James Appleby – a two-time Doncaster East premiership teammate of Batsanis.

The coach said the Templestowe midfielders got to work on the gritty midfielder as his side raced to a 26-point quarter-time lead – extending the deficit to 30 and 34 at the subsequent breaks.

“We matched it early with them, and obviously knowing James Appleby really well, I just put it to the group how he plays and how we could stamp him out of the game early which I thought we did,” Batsanis said.

“I thought our ball-use early was incredible – probably the best I’ve seen it and we were able to pile on four or five goals pretty quickly just to build a bit of a lead going into quarter-time which was nice.

“We felt like Heathmont couldn’t get themselves back in the game with the way we were playing – we defended really well throughout the day.”

Dockers’ captain Michael Fogarty lifted a gear in the second half to finish best afield according to the coach, while key recruit Dan Cooper fired with five goals.

Michael Fogarty was best afield on Saturday. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

Carl Giovannini (three goals), Josh Warren, and returning triple league best and fairest Matt Mariani also stood out.

But Batsanis said the midfield, among many, fed off the work of stand-in ruckman Marcel Haj – understudy to powerhouse Beau Mitchener who missed through back soreness.

“They were all supported really well by Marcel, he came up against a really good ruckman in Nathan Mullenger-McHugh and he competed really well, so that helped our mids go to work,” Batsanis said.

“(Mitchener missing) was just more precautionary – he wasn’t feeling too good on Thursday, back was pretty stiff, so we felt there’s no need to rush.

“The 22 guys we put on the park, everyone played a role.”