Banyule keeping lid on NFNL Division 1 expectations after busy off-season

31 for 31: Banyule was one of the most active clubs in local footy this off-season but the Bears remain realistic about their chances in NFNL Division 1.

Kieren Andrew attempts to spoil Jack Raines’ kick. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Banyule is keeping a lid on expectations as it enters its second season in NFNL Division 1.

The Bears were one of the most active recruiters in metropolitan football this off-season, bringing in a range of quality additions.

However, the club is realistic about its position in the top flight after winning five games and finishing eighth last year.

It’s been a meteoric rise for Banyule, which only joined the Northern league in 2015.

Bears co-coach Ricky Dyson said the club needed plenty of improvement to challenge for finals.

Max Jones gets a kick for Banyule. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Lachlan King in action for Banyule. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“We were happy to consolidate and learnt a lot from our first season in Division 1 but we won five games and finished third last,” Dyson said.

“The work we need to do to be in games for longer and challenge the bigger teams, the gap is quite big, so we’ve got to improve a hell of a lot.

“We don’t want to put a ceiling on what our expectations are.

“We’re going to go out to win every week but we are realistic and it’s our second season in Division 1.

“We have some younger players that learnt a lot and are bigger and stronger and we’ve added guys that will help us compete, so let’s just say we’re going out to win every game.”

Ex-AFL defender Sam McLarty is one track for Round 1 after missing all of 2023 with a shoulder injury, while Werribee VFL ruckman Darcy Bennett has named Banyule as his local club.

Star ruckman Tim Martin returns after a year at Woodend-Hesket and Coburg VFL-listed forward Daniel Owen has jumped across after winning a premiership with Eltham last season.

Lewin Davis (Eaglehawk), Oscar White (South Bendigo) and Seb Francis-Perkins (Old Eltham) have also signed on.

Reuben Blackmore-Moore in action for Banyule. Picture: Andy Brownbill

The Bears have secured reigning Bendigo league Michelson Medallist Noah Wheeler but don’t expect to see him until the second half of the year as he recovers from a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Viv Blackmore-Moore (Collingwood) and Riley Loton (Essendon) will be full-time this season after stepping away from VFL.

“We’ve looked to complement the group, we felt we had areas that we were happy with but wanted to add some depth in areas as well,” Dyson said of the club’s recruiting.

“All the players we’ve recruited have been recommended by people we know or through players currently at the club, I think that’s an important part.

“Even with that you need to sell the club so they want to come and be part of it.”

Premiership players Michael Edwards (Darley), James Kayrooz (Maribyrnong Park), Nick Mayne (Elmore), Xavier Mitchell (Cohuna Kangas) and Michael Italia (Heidelberg West) have departed.

The Bears kicked off practice match season with a hitout against Essendon District power Pascoe Vale.

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While the club went down by eight points, Dyson was pleased with the players performance in the first match against opposition.

Banyule will take on Goulburn Valley club Benalla and EDFL club Airport West before a Round 1 clash against Macleod at Beverley Road on April 13.

“It was a really strong hitout against quality opposition, both Pascoe Vale’s sides finished high in the Essendon District Premier Division last season,” Dyson said.

“We wanted practice matches that are going to test our playing group and allow us to learn a bit about ourselves and learn from other teams.”