EFNL Premier Division 2024: How Vermont is shaping for flag assault

It fell at the final hurdle last season following a remarkable rise, but there’s an optimism sweeping Eastern league powerhouse Vermont ahead of its Premier Division campaign. Here’s why.

Jamieson Rossiter celebrates a goal during last year’s grand final. Photo by Josh Chadwick

It staged an almighty rise last season – and it’s backing its existing stocks in pursuit of a 24th senior cup.

Vermont’s return to the grand final stage last year followed a lowly, ninth-placed result in 2022, finishing on top of the ladder in ‘23.

Eagles senior coach Adam Parker said the club had invested heavily in retaining its list ahead of 2024, with the powerhouse looking to go one better after its loss to Rowville in last year’s decider.

“From a list management point of view, we’ve got to back our junior guys in who’ve come through the system and have been with us for three or four years now,” Parker said.

“We want to get games into these guys who’ve now played two or three seasons of footy, and hopefully get them all together playing really good footy.

“We’ve invested as much as we can, with the restrictions at the moment, into the playing list that we had last year to keep them together as much as possible.

“We’re backing our current playing list to improve and hopefully that holds up.”

Lachie Johns won a club-record sixth best and fairest last season. Photo by Josh Chadwick

Stalwarts Robbie Ross and Tim Johnson are among the few exceptions to the club’s heavy player retention, with the pair retiring following decorated careers.

Meanwhile, premiership midfielder Alex Greenwood is set to remain sidelined this season following a knee injury in the early stages of last year’s grand final.

“He was runner-up for our best and fairest a couple of years in a row and he’s one we’ll sorely miss,” Parker said.

“He’s tracking really well with his recovery, but he’ll be out long-term – he’s the ultimate professional.”

Parker said the club’s younger midfield brigade was set to help fill the void – led by emerging talents Lochie Jenkins and Lucas Vassis.

“They’re probably the two main ones, and we could look at Tyson Calder as a potential to go through there as an up-and-coming wingman who can potentially move inside,” he said.

Lochlan Jenkins could step up for injured premiership star Alex Greenwood. Photo by Josh Chadwick

Parker said the 10-point grand final defeat had stayed with his group this off-season.

“Naturally it does – when you’ve got a young group who, a lot of them hadn’t played senior finals football, let alone a grand final before, it stings to anyone who loses a grand final but more so for a young group experiencing it for the first time,” he said.

Agony and ecstasy: Rowville celebrates last year’s grand final while Vermont rues the result. Photo by Josh Chadwick

It’s been a “pretty full-on” pre-season.

“Probably the toughest pre-season I’ve been involved with in my 10 years at the club,” Parker said.

“From a high-performance point of view, the boys are in pretty good shape.

“Hopefully their bodies are a bit bigger and stronger again this year, and as we know the competition gets better every year and other teams go out and get stronger.

“From our point of view, we’re pretty happy with where we’re at, but we need to improve to get anywhere near where we did last year as well.”

Vermont opens its season away to Blackburn on April 13.

Season 2024 at a glance:

In: Kye Barlow (23, mid-forward, Wantirna South), Tyler Dobey (22, mid-forward, Croydon), Cooper Leon (24, mid-forward, South Bendigo), Jarryd Smith (30, mid-forward, Wantirna South), Lucas Westwood (23, mid-forward, Doncaster East), Sam Male (19, mid-half-back, Mangoplah Cookardinia United Eastlakes), Angus Curry (19, mid-forward, listed with Port Melbourne VFL)

Out: Robbie Ross, Tim Johnson (both retired)

Season 2023:

Finish: first (home-and-away); lost grand final to Rowville

Win-loss: 15-3 (home-and-away)

Leading goalkicker: Adrian Kalcovski (57 goals)

Best and fairest: Lachie Johns (a club-record sixth medal)