EFNL Premier Division: Vermont jumps into top four with fourth win in a row

The Eagles are in the top four after etching a fourth win in a row on Saturday. Here’s how the Eastern powerhouse has improved.

VERMONT senior coach Adam Parker owes his side’s revival to “growth”.

The Eagles jumped into the top four on Saturday, knocking over reigning premier Noble Park 15.7 (97) to 10.3 (63) to etch a fourth win in a row.

They haven’t lost since their 91-point mauling at the hands of East Ringwood in Round 3, and while Parker said some “home truths” had been delivered in the fallout, continued improvement had driven his side’s rich vein of form.

Adam Parker calling the shots at Vermont. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“We knew we had a big block of games coming up and some really tough opponents, so we had to bounce back, otherwise our season would’ve been over pretty quickly,” Parker said.

“We develop and we get better and with our list we want to keep getting better every week and we think we’re currently trending that way.

“We’re getting growth from guys that we’ve blooded games into over the past couple of years.”

Champion on-baller Lachie Johns starred in a best-afield display with two majors on Saturday, featuring among nine individual goalkickers for the Eagles.

Parker said the 2021 Chandler medallist had been the beneficiary “of us having more contributors every week”, in contrast to last season where the Eagles missed the finals for the first time since 2011.

“We just think we’re a little bit more difficult to defend than we were this time last year through a bit of personnel but more so through the growth of our younger players which is the best part of the job at the moment,” Parker said.

Behind by 13 and five points at the quarter-time and main breaks, improved ball-use proved the catalyst for a five-goal-to-two third term according to Parker, culminating in a 15-point advantage at the final change.

But the coach also sung the praises of his side’s improved leadership after being dealt several injuries in the second half, with the Eagles forced to limited rotations.

Among the injured was ruckman Zac Hanlen (concussion) while premiership name Joe Fisher received a nasty gash to the leg.

“Credit to our players who rallied in the second half of that second quarter, it was purely through the on-field leadership which was maybe wavering a bit last year and at times in tougher positions that we’ve had this season, so that was a really good response and growth from our group,” Parker said.

“We gave our forwards a bit more of an opportunity in the second half … I think the really pleasing thing is we had four or five guys who might not get up next week through injury, and we stuck it out with very limited rotations in the second half.

“The character of the guys shone through which was really pleasing.”

Adrian Kalcovski finished with a game-high four goals for Vermont, while Jackson Sketcher booted two in a best-afield performance for the Bulls.