EFNL 2025: Lachie Waddell, Josh Schache help Doncaster East to Rowville scalp

Doncaster East hits the halfway mark of the season right in the finals hunt after claiming one of the comp’s most sought-after scalps on the road, led by two of its biggest names ...

Lions ruckman Lachlan Waddell (right) is one of the form players of the comp. Picture: Valeriu Campan

It was Doncaster East’s most complete performance this season according to senior coach Ryan James.

The Lions’ 13.8 (86) to 8.10 (58) upset of Rowville on Saturday dealt the Eastern Premier Division power a third consecutive loss, as James’ men shot to 4-3 ahead of the mid-year break.

Trailing by 14 points at quarter time and two at the half, the visitors rattled home with a six-goal-to-one second half at Seebeck Oval.

“We knew ‘Wisey’ (Rowville coach Ben Wise) would have them up and about and we probably didn’t weather that initial 15-minute storm at the start, but I felt from about the 20-minute mark of the first quarter we got into our groove and played our way,” James said.

“We felt like we controlled the game after quarter time which was pleasing to do it against a team that’s had the wood on us.”

Beaten by Balwyn (21 points) the previous weekend and East Ringwood by 26 points in Round 4, James lauded his side’s consistency on Saturday.

“(Against) Balwyn and East Ringwood, we were really good in two or three quarters but didn’t sustain it, but (on Saturday), we sustained it for our longest period this year.”

Ex-Port Melbourne ruckman Lachie Waddell finished best afield for the Lions, standing Rowville milestone man Nik Schoenmakers in his 200th match.

James said Waddell hadn’t looked back since stepping in for injured ruckman Michael Wenn.

“We’re in a situation where we’ve got a 100-game VFL premiership ruckman that we were playing at centre half-back, but once Wenn went down, I had a chat to Lachie and I put him on-ball,” James said.

“I think the last three weeks he’s either been our best or second-best player … he’s probably one of the in-form players of the comp at the moment.”

Former AFL forward Josh Schache led the charge in attack with five goals, young on-baller Mak Hoskin also finished among the best alongside Joel Papadopoulos, who proved damaging through the midfield, kicking 2.2.

EFNL 2025: Josh Schache leads the comp goalkicking with 28. Picture: Field of View Photography

Ex-Docker Taylin Duman stood tall in defence, former Blue and Lion Tom Bell and ex-VFL man Hugh Johnson were also prominent.

“To beat Rowville, you’ve got to have a lot of contributors,” James said.

Doncaster East’s fortunes are in stark contrast to this time 12 months ago, injury-ravaged and beaten by the competition’s contenders.

“We were pretty bullish (ahead of this year) – our injury list last year was out of control and we probably got that year too old, too quickly,” James said.

“Last year I think we had seven or eight over 30, and yesterday (Saturday) we had two, and we’ve got 13 kids under 21 out there.”

Saturday’s victory kept the Lions up to pace with a logjam of sides on a 4-3 record at the mid-season bye, joining Rowville (third) and Vermont (sixth), while Balwyn (4-2) sits fourth ahead of its stand-alone clash with Noble Park this weekend.