EFNL 2025: ‘Our best is good enough’, Warrandyte coach Paul Donahoo declares

They’ve sung the song just once in five matches to start the Eastern Division 4 season – but Bloods coach Paul Donahoo isn’t panicking. Here’s why.

EFNL 2025: Warrandyte coach Paul Donahoo says the wheel can turn for his side. Picture: Davis Harrigan

“Our best is good enough,” Warrandyte senior coach Paul Donahoo declares.

The Bloods’ foray into Division 4 football has yielded just one win from its opening five matches – saluting against Forest Hill among losses to Bulleen Templestowe (three points), Whitehorse Pioneers (12) and Kilsyth (50) before running ladder-leader Chirnside Park to 17 points on Saturday.

One drubbing aside, the coach believes things aren’t as bad as they appear on paper with a 1-4 record.

“We’ve just got to put it together a bit more consistently,” Donahoo said.

“We were in front until five minutes to go in the third quarter (on Saturday) – it just comes back to our consistency, not even in games, but quarters as well.”

Relegated from Division 3 at the end of last season, Donahoo said the difference between the two divisions had taught a few lessons.

“We’ve just had to strip it right back a bit further to basics and not worry as much about setups and structures,” he said.

“It’s probably more a contested ball game where you win it at the source, get it outside and you’re away. It sounds simple, but the teams that do that well are really showing up.

“I think the top teams in Division 4 would certainly be playing reasonable football against the bottom half of Division 3 as well.”

While the song has been sung only once, a host of names have impressed this season – no less, first-year captain and young gun Oscar Hodgson.

“He’s really led the way with his ferocious attack and doesn’t give up,” Donahoo said, adding veteran Zak Carroll had also shone.

But they haven’t been the only standouts.

“Lukas Fellows, down back he’s been a real key post for us that we didn’t have enough of. It’s enabled us to play a few guys in other positions,” Donahoo said.

“Then you look up forward, someone like Josh Beasley, eight goals for the year … (and) Taylor Hayton in the ruck has battled gainfully and continues to keep going – there’s some big boys getting around in Division 4.”

Warrandyte sits fifth on the ladder ahead of a date with Croydon North-MLOC (fourth) this weekend.

A bye, followed by Bulleen Templestowe (sixth) and the currently unbeaten Whitehorse Pioneers closes out the first half of the season.

“If you look at the ladder now, you’ve got us, Bulleen (Templestowe) and Croydon North fighting for fourth spot,” Donahoo said.

“If the season continues to pan out that way, wins against the sides around you are going to be very important.

“We need to make sure we take home the win (this week).”