EFNL 2025: How Waverley Blues exorcised ‘old demons’ in season-opening thriller

On the ropes ticking into time-on, the Waverley Blues — led by a new coach — “found a way” amid the deja vu of last September, saluting in an opening-round Division 2 nail-biter on Saturday.

EFNL 2025: New Waverley Blues coach Sam Bates beaming arm-in-arm with his players after a nail-biting first-up win on Saturday. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Bearing the scars of a botched finals campaign all off-season, Saturday’s opener could not come quick enough for the Waverley Blues – and new coach, Sam Bates.

The Eastern Division 2 outfit had much to dwell on for six months following a second consecutive straight-sets exit, relinquishing seemingly match-winning leads in both its finals last year.

On Saturday, last September’s memories reared their ugly head in the Blues’ bout with East Burwood.

Controlling the contest for most of the match – and with a 14-point lead at the final change – the Blues found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard with 20 minutes expired in the last term, the Rams pinching the lead by three.

But as Bates declared of his players: “They didn’t go back into old habits and those old demons,” as they “found a way to win” in the 10.9 (69) to 9.6 (60) thriller.

EFNL 2025: Waverley Blues exorcised a few old demons on Saturday. Picture: Davis Harrigan

“They never dropped their heads,” he said.

“There’s been some talk around the footy club in previous years having lost the lead late in the game that some heads may have dropped.

“My positive out of that is there’s been a bit of learning, and some work over the pre-season in regards to managing the clock in those sorts of games which helped us get over the line in the end.

“We played right to the last whistle and were able to clog the game up – once we got that lead back we were able to manage the minutes really well and I thought it was a mature sign.”

Matt Jameson marked and kicked truly to snatch the lead back with three minutes to go before spearhead Josh Williamson dribbled the sealer from 35m out on the boundary.

“The bell rung not long after, so we were all very relieved,” Bates said.

The coach heaped praise on stalwart Dan Playsted for a “huge last quarter” uninterrupted in the ruck.

“Him and Omar Mohammad and the mids got to work in getting some territory, so we were able to keep pressing and getting the ball inside 50,” Bates said.

EFNL 2025: Little separated the Waverley Blues and East Burwood all day. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Meanwhile, best-afield Kyle Viccars, fit and firing following a pre-season with Port Melbourne, kept the Blues in touch according to the coach as he chopped and changed through the midfield and up forward.

“It was probably his work forward of centre that was really damaging,” Bates said.

“He was the difference between the two sides … he’s probably the fittest guy in our team and was always going to run the game out really strongly.

“He doesn’t fumble and he doesn’t waste a possession.”

Sammy Hale was a “rock” at centre half-back, while a line of debutants also impressed: Blackburn arrival Blake Tahlambouris brought plenty of pressure in attack, Blues’ under-19 graduate Hayden Loft lent a competitive hand in the ruck and forward, while Forest Hill import Sonny Doherty helped shore-up an under-fire back six.

But they weren’t the club’s only debutants, with shrewd, long-time apprentice Bates finding plenty out about the rigours of senior coaching in his maiden game in charge.

“Once the ball bounces and the game’s on, there’s so many variables that can happen – Tyson Hale did his hamstring five minutes in, Jack Strongman broke his nose two minutes after, so we were two (rotations) down early,” he said.

“We worked really well as a coaching team and the players were really flexible when we had to spin the magnets.

“When the final bell went, I must admit there wasn’t a smile on my face, it was more of a relief – I didn’t start smiling ‘til we sung the song!”