MPNFL 2021: Rye beats Pearcedale to improve season record to 4-0

A group of ‘under the radar’ young guns is driving Rye’s undefeated start to the season in MPNFL Division 2.

Rye celebrates its win at Somerville. The Demons are undefeated after four rounds. Picture: Rye FNC

Rye coach Adam Kirkwood has praised his “under the radar” young players for driving the club’s undefeated start to the season.

It’s been seven seasons since the Demons played finals, but they go into this Saturday’s Round 5 clash with Mornington as joint ladder leaders in MPNFL Division 2.

Rye this season has beaten Tyabb (by 89 points), Devon Meadows (31), Somerville (20) and Pearcedale (21).

Kirkwood, a five-time Rye best and fairest winner, says the Demons’ evenness has been a big factor in their rise this year.

“We’ve got a bit of depth at the club,” he said.

“Having 22 contributors every week certainly helps.

“We’ve still got some very good players but we feel like the gap between our 22nd bloke and our best bloke is not that big.

“We’ve got 22 really even guys.”

Rye is on a roll this season. Picture: Rye FNC

Rye won seven games in 2019 and Kirkwood said the side’s improvement this year has come from two areas.

“It’s come from those really good young kids who we knew were going to be good,” he said.

“Going back four or five years we put 40 or 50 games into these kids and then with the year off they’ve grown up a bit physically.

“They were always going to be good but they’re flying under the radar a bit at the moment because no one knows who they are.

“Instead of having 18-year-olds running around we’ve got 21-year-olds running around.”

Kirkwood also said Rye’s “core group” of recruits, including Jordy Capkin, Louis Barbour, Mitch Glenn and Ben Farish, had been vital.

“We got them across at the end of 2019 and they’ve all hung around so they’ve been good for us,” he said.

One of Rye’s young stars Kalani Ryan was awarded the Anzac medal after playing a starring role in the Demons’ 21-point win over Pearcedale at Rowley Reserve on Saturday.

Ryan had 18 touches and six clearances, as well as slotting a goal.

The Demons also found inspiration from Matt Hill, Barbour, Tyrren Head, Leigh Morse, Jarrod Richards, Nick Strickland, Cruiz West and Kyle Van der Pluym.

Kirkwood will pull on the boots against Mornington this week after missing the start of the season with a calf injury.

His experience will only make the Demons’ stronger.