EFNL 2025: Warrandyte ‘finally starting to click’ as it claims scalp of Whitehorse Pioneers
A month ago, Warrandyte had little to yield from its opening five matches. Now it sits a game inside Eastern Division 4’s top four following its biggest scalp yet.
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THREE wins in a row.
A month ago, Warrandyte had little to yield from its opening five matches with just one win from five starts.
Now, it sits a game and a handy 10 per cent clear inside Eastern Division 4’s top four, following its biggest scalp yet.
Upsetting flag contender Whitehorse Pioneers in a 11.7 (73) to 10.10 (70) nailbiter at Springfield Park on Saturday, the sides couldn’t be split at the half before the visiting Bloods pulled ahead by 10 points by the final change, holding off the Pioneers’ last-ditch tilt at victory.
Earlier this season, the Bloods came up short on their home deck against the Pioneers, edged by 12 points.
Saturday’s return bout was to be the club’s next test.
“We’ve beaten a few teams around us, but we hadn’t made a mark on that top three that were starting to get away from the comp a little bit,” Warrandyte senior coach Paul Donahoo said, whose side rose to a 4-4 record.
“We put a big emphasis on it and we thought we were pretty good against them in Round 2 and unlucky not to get the points at our ground.
“It’s around keeping the confidence and belief, and building that.
“We’ve got to manage the weeks off but keep saying the same message and talking about the same things, because it’s finally starting to click for us and work.
“Taking that bigger scalp was the next step and we’ve done that.”
Stand-in captain Josh Meyers took on one of the division’s toughest assignments, playing on the Pioneers’ Jayson Fabris – and finished best afield with two goals.
“It was his first time captaining the club because Oscar Hodgson was out injured,” Donahoo said.
“He (Fabris) was really damaging around stoppage and clearance in Round 2 so that was something we were looking to negate.
“Josh did it really well, did a couple of run-down tackles from behind and just led from the front in a lot of ways with his actions, but also words as well.”
Meanwhile, Northern Knights talent Gabe Stumpf impressed on debut with two crucial majors.
A Vic Metro Under-18 representative last year, Stumpf caught the eye of recruiters in 2024 following 17 matches at the Knights for 26 goals. This season he’s featured in eight Coates league games.
“That was a really handy inclusion of someone who was touted to go late in the draft last year, but unfortunately didn’t,” Donahoo said.
“Northern had a bye, he kicked two, and was very classy and you can tell where he’s headed with his footy.”
Jack Wilson (three goals) and Koby Gilmour (two) hit the scoreboard while Zak Carroll, Nick De Preu, Noah Habjan and Lukas Fellows rounded out the Bloods’ best.
Attention turns to Kilsyth next weekend – which served Donahoo’s men a 50-point demolition in Round 1.
“That’s the next test,” Donahoo said.
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