Local footy: EDFL Premier Division latest off-season news
It’s been a long off-season for Essendon District Football League clubs, but there’s no shortage of news. Here’s the latest on what’s happening in the competition’s top division — for every club.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Essendon District Football League’s top clubs have wasted little time preparing for season 2021 amid the coronavirus crisis.
Two clubs are yet to lock in their coaches for next season, but they have been busy securing their senior players after AFL Victoria slashed salary caps by 50 per cent.
Here’s the latest from the EDFL’s 10 Premier Division clubs.
ABERFELDIE
The powerhouse appears poised for another flag tilt next season after seven consecutive grand final appearances, with three-time premiership coach Adam Potter re-signing.
Prized signing Nick Meese has also re-committed, along with fellow recruits Tom McConville, David Fahey and Lachie Langwell, while forward James Peters returns after he was set to take the field for Essendon Doutta Stars this year.
Three-time premiership captain Luke Davis, reigning best-and-fairest winner Sam Cattapan, runner-up Victor Carboni, third-placed Nic Cattapan, gun defender Ryan Allan, star forward Jayden Foster, Zac Hislop, Caleb Hislop, Stefan Rasinac, Daniel Thompson, Joel Madden, Jack Binns, Matt Williamson and Jack Arceri will also be in Aberfeldie colours next season.
Potter said he expected the bulk of his line-up to remain.
Abers have lost Luke Blackwell, Jacob Craven, Jess Rush, Mitch Andrews, Jaryd Cachia, Jean Luc-Velissaris, Josh Pound, James Peters and Jorden Braddy since their 2019 grand final defeat to Keilor but have no shortage of talented young players coming through.
AVONDALE HEIGHTS
The Heights have struggled to retain players in recent seasons, leading to issues with player points, but the tide appears to be turning.
Reappointed coach Paddy Byrne is expecting to retain 90-95 per cent” of his senior list and some key players have already re-committed.
Dual best-and-fairest winner and captain Mathew Cravino, vice-captain Justin Morris, Connor Byrne, Hamish Murphy, Tom Russell, Sean Bolger, Matthew Borg, Jackson Robb, Brad Robb, Danko Bzenic, Jack Watkins, Tyler Miceli, Jacob Cutri, Josiah Garisto, Reece Desira and Mayson Murgov and Ben Cosgriff have all signed on.
Avondale Heights added Bzenic, Matt Darby, Muhammad Saad and Matt Chisari before the season was canned and lost Hisham Kerbatieh and Scott Harding.
CRAIGIEBURN
Former Carlton captain Lance Whitnall, who steered the Eagles to the 2019 Division 1 flag, is yet to put pen to paper for 2021.
Craigieburn faces a tough task to be competitive in the top flight if it fails to strengthen its list significantly in coming months, with reigning best-and-fairest winner Jesse Davies returning to Wallan.
Premiership pair Sam Laffan and Dom Micallef have crossed to Tullamarine, while Shannon Smith, who kicked 41 goals last year, has moved to Mernda.
ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
The Stars have appointed Essendon premiership player Paul Barnard as Kyle Hardingham’s replacement, and the former AFL utility is excited about his team’s prospects.
Hardingham, who has decided to return home to Western Australia, is a major loss on-field. VFL-listed Bruno Laguda has crossed to East Keilor, while James Peters has returned to Aberfeldie.
The club landed VFL pair Dale Marshall and Dylan Landt after the 2019 campaign, while Airport West’s Ned Gentile also arrived.
Captain Jordan Rogers, Jordan Schroder, Campbell Wearne, Mitch Jensen, Marcus Calvaresi, Karl Brown, Declan Tully, Patrick Willach, Tom Lamplugh, Mitch Jones, Mitch Day, Mitch Runting, Matthew D’Angelo, Brodie Meyers, Lachlan Meyers, John Roumeliotis, Jake Toa, Dalton Comito, Kell Gadsden, Jack Gallaher, Aaron Di Matteo and Landt have re-signed for next year.
Anthony Brown has been locked in as reserves coach.
GLENROY
Since winning the 2017 Division 1 flag, Glenroy has claimed four victories in each of the past two Premier Division seasons.
The Roys are well placed to improve in 2021, with 2020 recruits Michael Sullivan, Jeremy Sullivan, Nick Meehan, Caine Schofield, Tom Mooney, William Humphreys, Daniel Sebeh, Ali Ahmad, Tyler Bell and Billy Goodwin re-signing.
Jake Young has also returned after a stint at Sunbury Kangaroos, finishing fifth in their best-and-fairest last season.
A long list of key senior players will also don the Glenroy jumper next year, including Travis Dulic, Matt Walker, Aaron Kite, Joshua Ksiazek, Zac Smith, Lachlan Ronaldson, Tanner Nilsson, Reid Nilsson, Jayden Borg, Adam Delbusso, Daniel Barakat, Jonty Neaves, Anthony Greaney, Michael Di Martino, James Bennie, Jackson McDonald, Jack Thorogood, Daniel Ferraro, Adrian Smrdelj, Judd Brewster and Jayden Borg.
Reigning best-and-fairest winner Daniel Riley is yet to re-sign.
Gary King will coach the club’s reserves side.
GREENVALE
The Jets are yet to announce their coach for 2021 after the departure of AFL champion Paul Chapman.
Greenvale president Bruce Kent said last month the club expected a decision “sometime in September”, adding he intended to make contact with Anthony Rock after the dual EDFL premiership coach was let go by Fremantle.
“Not surprisingly it’s a sought-after position and a number of people have already expressed interest,” Kent said.
Steve MacPherson, Adam McPhee and Shannon Grant have also called the shots at the Jets in recent years.
Since missing finals in 2019, they secured the return of premiership winners Rowan Nayna, James Rohan and Dean Smith, while best-and-fairest runner-up Josh Smith, 2017 Team of the Year member Nick Parthenopoulos, Cody Lynch and Matthew Bonello exited.
KEILOR
Mick McGuane’s Blues have locked in one of the most decorated players in EDFL history for 2021 after completing an undefeated season in 2019.
Former Richmond big man and Reynolds medallist Andrew Browne has returned after a stint with junior club Mansfield in a major boost.
The Blues were without ex-AFL pair Nick O’Kearney, Damien Cavka, Jesse Wallan and Brock McGregor in last year’s grand final, while Browne, Luke Cartelli and RDFL league medallist Paul Sahlberg have since landed at the club. Young gun Darcy Cassar has also returned after three years at the Western Jets, leaving McGuane with some pleasant selection headaches.
Champion skipper Kane Barbuto, David Gourdis, Brett Stillman, Todd Stevenson, David Isbister, Jamie Papalia, Matthew Clark, Brad Xavier, Joe Ciranna, Jay White, O’Kearney, Wallin, Cartelli and Sahlberg have re-committed for 2021.
Premiership player Zak Wunhym has moved to Division 1 outfit Hillside.
MARIBYRNONG PARK
Brad Swain has replaced Dean Laidley in the top job at the Lions – and the former VFL assistant is thrilled with the talent at his disposal.
Swain said he expected the “vast majority” to re-commit for 2021 before Maribyrnong Park turns its attention to recruiting.
Jean-Luc Velissaris, Mitch Comben, Patrick McCarthy, Cooper Page and Ismail Moussa have been key additions since the end of 2019, while Nick and Chris Prowse and Marwan Abdul-Wahed returned.
Throw in an enviable stable of young talent, and the Lions look well placed.
PASCOE VALE
The Panthers are focused on retention after assembling a strong list for the cancelled 2020 campaign.
Pascoe Vale was towelled up by Strathmore in last year’s elimination final – a defeat which left coach Digby Morrell “bitterly disappointed” – and worked hard over the summer months to improve.
Pascoe Vale has landed some impressive recruits in its bid to close the gap, headlined by Damandeep Aujla (Airport West) and Nick Parthenopoulos (Greenvale).
Sam Godden, Nick Linton, Nick Gooch, Daniel Guccione, Daniel Sharrock and Gerard Sharrock were other ins of note.
Luke Foster, Patrick Veszpremi, Sean Gregory, Daniel Archer, Daniel Johncock, Liam Forbes, Nick Keating and Eamonn Ogden have departed since the loss to the Mores.
STRATHMORE
Coach Matthew Horne has declared his side’s premiership ambitions after back-to-back preliminary final defeats – by a combined margin of five points.
The Mores are expecting to roll out a similar line-up next year, with stars Adam Iacobucci, Nick O’Brien, Luke Jarrad and Andrew Horne headlining the re-signings.
Strathmore has recruited impressively since the end of 2019, landing former state league-listed players James Sullivan, Arion Richter-Salter and Jesse Johnson, while Tierone Cuffe and Tom Denning were other ins of note.
Tom Drake and Luke Baniowski have made the move to West Coburg.
MORE LEADER LOCAL FOOTY NEWS
CAN STRATHMORE CLAIM THE EDFL FLAG IN 2021?
MARIBYRNONG PARK APPOINTS EX-VFL ASSISTANT
TULLAMARINE’S OFF-SEASON RECRUITING TRIPLE TREAT
THE BEST 20 PLAYERS IN EDFL PREMIER DIVISION RANKED
TEN-TIME PREMIERSHIP PLAYER RETURNS TO EDFL
BARNARD OUTLINES VISION FOR ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
FORMER AFL BIG MAN RETURNS TO THE EDFL
THE BEST 20 PLAYERS IN EDFL DIVISION 1 REVEALED
THE BEST 20 PLAYERS IN EDFL DIVISION 2 RANKED