Game on: Eastern league 2024 season preview

Star recruits, flag fancies, predictions and more. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Eastern league season.

Rowville won its first top division flag last season. Photo by Josh Chadwick

A NEW king occupies the throne – and nine other clubs will be hellbent on usurping the post.

Rowville took home its maiden top-division crown last season, rebounding from a heartbreaking defeat on the biggest stage 12 months prior.

Can the plucky Hawks, flush with youthful exuberance, defend their flag – or can powerhouse Vermont take a further step after falling by 10 points in the decider? Missing the finals for the first time in more than a decade in 2022, the Eagles’ climb should not be understated.

Among those standing in the way of Vermont’s bid for a league-record 24th senior premiership this season are the other finalists from last year – Balwyn, Blackburn, Doncaster East and East Ringwood.

With the competition reverting to a top-five finals system, expect a logjam of sides to be vying for the race.

Balwyn, coached by Brenton Sanderson, has welcomed ex-North Melbourne midfielder Kayne Turner fresh out of the AFL, Doncaster East has signed former Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs forward Tim O’Brien, East Ringwood has secured a swag of gun names including leading Southern league spearhead Josh Fox, and Blackburn embarks on a new era under incoming coach Anthony Fagan.

Rowville holds the premiership cup aloft. Photo by Josh Chadwick

Let’s not forget two glaring omissions from the finals last season – Noble Park, which slid down the ladder following a flag in 2022, and South Croydon, which missed the finals for the first time since 2016. Noble Park is set to welcome back arguably local footy’s best player, Kyle Martin, after the former AFL Magpie missed all of last season with a knee injury, while fellow Bulls midfielder Jackson Sketcher is fresh off a league best-and-fairest-winning campaign. South Croydon, led by new coach Brendan Allen, has recruited handily, headlined by the return of former VFL defender Chris Jones who arrives straight out of the WAFL following a stint with Swan Districts.

Noble Park’s Kyle Martin will take the field again this season. Picture: Andy Brownbill

The biggest question-mark of the Division 1 season must be South Belgrave, which has lost just once in its past 26 starts. In an all-too-familiar tale in footy, the Saints finished the home-and-away season undefeated on top of the ladder before a shock grand final loss. A third consecutive flag went begging. Ex-AFL men Taylor Garner and Tim Smith enjoyed dominant seasons, while former AFL Saint Luke Dunstan is among the recruits and could feature later this year as he recovers from an ACL injury.

Guided by new coach Heath Black, can one of local footy’s most dominant teams of recent years harness the heartbreak and bounce back? Or can Mitcham, which won a third premiership in eight years under long-serving coach Neil Winterton, repeat the feat? Discount the two Covid-interrupted years and the Tigers have made it three flags in six seasons.

Mitcham celebrates its Division 1 grand final win. Photo by Josh Chadwick

Montrose, led by Gary Ayres, should be around the mark again after proving it could match it with the best by pipping Mitcham in the qualifying final, fellow finalist Beaconsfield should be boosted by the signing of ex-AFL Saint Nathan Wright while North Ringwood marked its first finals campaign since 2014 and look in a sound spot to make the cut again.

Can anyone catch Boronia in Division 2? The Hawks lost just once in 2023 – by the barest of margins. They didn’t look back, motoring to 13 consecutive wins thereafter to claim a second flag in five years.

Several players enjoyed standout seasons, including ex-AFL Bomber Josh Begley, young gun Mitch Mellis who took home the Division 2 league medal, and Ben Robertson, who figured among the top forwards with 50 majors.

With no promotion offered to Division 1 for last year’s premier, could the Hawks be on the cusp of back-to-back crowns? Heathmont has more than enough reason to believe it has the tools to halt the Hawks’ hunt, after it led the grand final at half-time. The Jets have added plenty of quality since, shoring up with a string of top-division names who could hold the key to taking a further step.

EFNL: Boronia celebrates its 2023 Division 2 premiership. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Donvale enjoyed similar dominance to Boronia in Division 3 last season, dropping just once match on the way to a 60-point grand final masterclass over Ferntree Gully in the grand final. Atoning for the heartbreak of a two-point loss at the final hurdle in 2022, the ‘Vales finished 14 points clear on top of the ladder, while captain James Rausa enjoyed a decorated campaign with a best-on-ground nod in the decider before taking home the Division 3 league medal. They’ll be tough to beat again this season – but can Ferntree Gully, the only team to defeat Donvale last year, go one better this time around?

EFNL: Donvale coach Kevin Collins with the 2023 Division 3 cup. Picture: Davis Harrigan

And there could be a longstanding flag drought broken in Division 4, with Kilsyth chasing its first crown since 1995 and Chirnside Park hunting its first since 2009. Both made the top four last season – Chirnside Park hit the finals on a nine-game winning streak before a first-week exit at the hands of Scoresby, while Kilsyth played off in the grand final, falling to Surrey Park which took home its first Eastern league premiership. With Surrey Park promoted to Division 3, a new premier beckons – and any of the remaining top-four sides from last season look more than capable of lifting the cup.

Surrey Park was one of local footy’s fairytale stories last season. Picture: George Sal

The Eastern Devils will hunt a third-straight premiership in as many years in the women’s competition, after holding off the SBL Wolves in a three-point thriller in last year’s grand final. Leading the charge was Olivia Aing, who was a runaway winner of the Premier Division women’s best and fairest, claiming the medal with 28 votes – denying South Croydon’s Taylah Black a second consecutive prize, who finished runner-up on 19 after topping the competition’s goalkicking with 30 majors.

The Eastern Devils won a second consecutive flag last season. Picture: Field of View Photography

The Devils’ attack proved the envy of its rivals, with Chloe Hunt, Nicole Price (27 goals apiece) and Shelley Beggs (22) featuring as three of the comp’s top four goalkickers, while their defence was the stingiest of all, letting through just 282 points on the way to an unbeaten season. Could redemption be on the cards for the SBL Wolves, stung with a tight grand final loss after leading at the half? Let’s not discount South Croydon, either, which fell a game short of the decider after finishing the home-and-away season in second, while Mt Evelyn, fourth, again looks a strong prospect. Boronia Brown (Division 1 premiers), East Ringwood (Division 2), Kilsyth (Division 3) and Mooroolbark (Division 4) also hit the new season having lifted the cup. Game on.

PREMIER DIVISION

Teams: Balwyn, Berwick, Blackburn, Doncaster East, East Ringwood, Noble Park, Norwood, Rowville, South Croydon, Vermont

Reigning premier/runner-up: Rowville/Vermont

Best and fairest: Jackson Sketcher (Noble Park)

Leading goalkicker: Trent Farmer (East Ringwood, 53)

DIVISION 1

Teams: Bayswater, Beaconsfield, Doncaster, Mitcham, Montrose, Mooroolbark, North Ringwood, Park Orchards, South Belgrave, Wantirna South

Reigning premier/runner-up: Mitcham/South Belgrave

Best and fairest: Austin Smith (Mooroolbark)

Leading goalkicker: Tim Smith (South Belgrave, 53)

DIVISION 2

Teams: Boronia, Croydon, East Burwood, Heathmont, Lilydale, Mulgrave, Ringwood, Templestowe, The Basin, Waverley Blues

Reigning premier/runner-up: Boronia/Heathmont

Best and fairest: Mitch Mellis (Boronia)

Leading goalkicker: Josh Williamson (Waverley Blues, 52)

DIVISION 3

Teams: Coldstream, Donvale, Fairpark, Ferntree Gully, Knox, Oakleigh District, Silvan, Surrey Park, Upper Ferntree Gully, Warrandyte

Reigning premier/runner-up: Donvale/Ferntree Gully

Best and fairest: James Rausa (Donvale)

Leading goalkicker: Zak Bozanich (Oakleigh District, 60)

DIVISION 4

Teams: Chirnside Park, Croydon North-MLOC, Forest Hill, Kilsyth, Nunawading, Scoresby, Whitehorse Pioneers

Reigning premier/runner-up: Surrey Park (promoted to Division 3)/Kilsyth

Best and fairest: Jayden Weichard (Kilsyth)

Leading goalkicker: Nick Kann (Surrey Park, 49)

WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION

Teams: Boronia Brown, Eastern Devils White, Mt Evelyn, SBL Wolves Black, South Croydon Blue, The Basin Red, Vermont Purple, Whitehorse Pioneers

Reigning premier/runner-up: Eastern Devils White/SBL Wolves Black

Best and fairest: Olivia Aing (Eastern Devils)

Leading goalkicker: Taylah Black (South Croydon, 30)

WOMEN’S DIVISION 1

Teams: Beaconsfield, Donvale, East Ringwood, Knox, North Ringwood, Park Orchards,

Reigning premier/runner-up: Boronia Brown/The Basin

Best and fairest: Maddison Blackburn (Beaconsfield)

Leading goalkicker: Danielle Brotto (The Basin, 46)

WOMEN’S DIVISION 2

Teams: Berwick, Blackburn, Chirnside Park, East Burwood, Kilsyth, Montrose, Ringwood, Surrey Park, Waverley Blues

Reigning premier/runner-up: East Ringwood/Surrey Park

Best and fairest: Mia Chadwick (Blackburn)

Leading goalkicker: Cecilia Baldassarre (East Burwood, 66)

WOMEN’S DIVISION 3

Teams: Coldstream, Croydon North-MLOC, Eastern Devils Black, Heathmont, Mitcham, Mooroolbark, North Ringwood, South Croydon Red

Reigning premier/runner-up: Kilsyth/Eastern Devils Black

Best and fairest: Brooke Slaney (Kilsyth)

Leading goalkicker: Kelsey Reade (Eastern Devils Black, 29)

WOMEN’S DIVISION 4

Teams: Bayswater, Boronia, Fairpark, Ferntree Gully, Nunawading, The Basin, Upper Ferntree Gully, Wantirna South, Warrandyte

Reigning premier/runner-up: Mooroolbark/Mitcham

Best and fairest: Nicole Akers (Mitcham)

Leading goalkicker: Sarah Birthisel (Fairpark, 26)

FIVE PREDICTIONS

•East Ringwood recruit Josh Fox to top the goalkicking in Premier Division

•Doncaster East to play off in its first-ever top-division grand final

•Eastern Devils to salute a third consecutive flag in the women’s top division

•Boronia to make it back-to-back flags in Division 2

•Division 4’s Chirnside Park to win its first senior men’s premiership since 2009

Don’t miss your 16-page 2024 Local Footy lift-out only in the Sunday Herald Sun on March 31.