EFNL 2025: ‘Tears’ as Doncaster East defeats Vermont for first time in club history

Staring at a fourth-straight loss early on Saturday, the Eastern Premier Division outfit rattled home to achieve something it hadn’t in more than half a century of club history ...

EFNL 2025: Doncaster East coach Ryan James fires up his team at 3/4 time on Saturday. Picture: Supplied

“This is bigger than 22, this is a whole club thing!” coach Ryan James declared to his team as it trailed by three points at three-quarter time.

“We are ******* getting it done today!”

And it did.

Doncaster East toppled local footy powerhouse Vermont for the first time in its 53-year history on Saturday – snapping a three-game losing streak in the process.

On the ropes early, the Lions – who had lost to Noble Park, Blackburn and Berwick in consecutive weeks – found themselves 26 points adrift of the visiting Eagles at quarter-time.

Lacking polish and potent ball movement, James’ men straightened up.

What followed was a 10-goal-to-three blitz for the remainder of the Eastern Premier Division heavyweight bout, as Doncaster East shook the shackles of Vermont’s near-five-year head-to-head dominance in an 11.14 (80) to 8.8 (56) win.

EFNL 2025: Doncaster East has beaten Vermont for the first time in its history. Picture: Supplied

“It’s nice to get that monkey off the back,” James said, whose players fell to Vermont by just 15 points in Round 2.

“I think they’d beaten us the last seven times, including a prelim.

“The scoreboard at quarter-time I didn’t think was a true reflection of the game … Vermont were good enough to capitalise.

“For three quarters it was probably as good a footy as we’ve played since the Rowville game.

“Defensively it was pretty pleasing because we’ve probably leaked a little too much at times this year.”

Best afield was none other than young spearhead Jay Rankin – swung to full-back for the first time, to stand ex-AFL forward Sam Weideman who had kicked a bag of five the previous round.

On Saturday, the Vermont focal point kicked two.

“I put the challenge to him (Rankin) Monday and he was up for it,” James said.

“Weideman got two early and it didn’t fuss Jay at all – Jay ended up taking a few intercept marks and contested marks himself.

“He was, in my view, easily our best, being able to influence the contest in a defensive way for the first time.”

Meanwhile, Josh Schache (five goals) featured in the Lions’ best alongside Lachlan Waddell, Mak Hoskin, Joel Papadopoulos and Tom Bell.

The victory meant plenty to the galaxy of stars assembled on Saturday for the Lions’ past-players day, as their club took the scalp of local footy’s perennial team to beat for the first time in its five seasons in the league’s top division.

“We had some past players that were in tears about it,” James said.

“I think it was more symbolic for them … Donny East had struggled a lot, and beating the most successful club in local footy is a bit of a symbol for those who have walked before us.”

Doncaster East sits sixth on the ladder and shares a 5-6 record with Vermont, which slid to seventh.