OEFN 2025: the ultimate Division 1 club-by-club preview
With emerging talents and strategic coaching, OEFN Division 1 is set for an exciting season. Get the scoop on your club’s latest changes, captain appointments, player exits, and hear directly from every coach about their aspirations.
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The Outer East Division 1 is set for a thrilling season with numerous storylines to watch.
Is this the year for Warburton Millgrove? Will Pakenham rise again after their fall from Premier? Can Yarra Glen’s major transformations lead to glory? Is Seville ready to clinch the title?
Expect a fierce competition for the finals.
Explore the ins and outs of every club, captain appointments, and read insightful comments from the coaches.
ALEXANDRA
Coach: Nick Wal
Captain: Ted Watkin
Last year: 9-8 (5th)
IN: Charlie Boots (Hawthorn AFC), Harry Prendergast (Imperial)
OUT: Matt Peric (Sorrento), Charlie Millar (Old Scotch)
Coach says: “Last season we had the most horrific run of injury that I’ve been involved in either as a player or coach, it was amazing. We were playing guys I hadn’t even met. If we can stay healthy and fit we think we can be in the mix to play finals and be really competitive, absolutely. We’re looking to play the ball a bit quicker. We relied on our talls to mark the ball a bit too much...we want to try and quicken the ball up a bit and be a bit more daring with the footy and try and get some ground level goals.’’
BELGRAVE
Coach: Darren Hamilton
Captain: Liam Pemberton
Last year: 10-7-1 (4th)
IN: Mitch Summers (Beaconsfield), Aaron Crichton (Narre Warren), Luke Bakewell (Sorrento), Jesse Pearce (Fairpark), Noah McGuiness (Upwey Tecoma), Ben Brennan (Upwey Tecoma),Will Stow (Upwey Tecoma), Jacob Orr (Upwey Tecoma), Charlie Morrison (Upwey Tecoma), Billy Martin (Upwey Tecoma)
OUT: Aaron Green (retired), James Gardiner-Hoffman (Boronia)
Coach says: “We are looking at the growth from within the football club for 2025. Over the past couple of years we had recruited kids pretty much who are all now getting close to 50 games of senior football. We topped up with Mitch Summers from Beaconsfield to help with our ruck stocks while adding Jesse Pearce as a mature age forward with a wealth of experience and knowledge. Aaron Crichton comes in to replace Aaron Green while Luke Bakewell adds to our mids. We would like to think we will be there and thereabouts at the business end of the season.’’
PAKENHAM
Coach: Justin Stanton
Captain: Jake Barclay
Last year: 5-13 (in Premier Division)
IN: Tanner Stanton (Hampton Park), Jake Kidd (South Belgrave), Nash Butler (South Belgrave), Finn Nicholas (South Belgrave), James Ahern (Drouin), Zakery De Bono (Officer), Xane Callow (Officer), Noah Morrell (Officer)
OUT: Jordan Stewart (Warragul), Zac Stewart (Warragul), James Harrison (Warragul), Tom Hillard (Warragul), Jai Rout (WA), Joel Sarlo (Crib Point), Sam Kors (Koo Wee Rup), Cooper Reilly (Garfield), Lachlan Sauze (Garfield), Matt DeBruin (Mordialloc)
Coach says: “We’re excited to be playing in the Division 1 competition. Each week will provide our young group with plenty of challenges and we hope to play a brand of footy that will be highly competitive and exciting to watch. Our squad has trained hard over pre-season, are fit and can’t wait for the season to kick off.”
POWELLTOWN
Coach: Ryan Handley
Last year: 2-13
IN: Josh Cowan (St Bede’s/Mentone Tigers), Alex Cross (St Bede’s/Mentone Tigers), Cooper Ferries (Black Rock), Ryan Handley (Black Rock), Jarrad Kay (Highett), Liam Lucas (Avenel), Shannon Halliday (returning), Jarryd Wines (Black Rock), Mitch Caddy (Black Rock), Liam Sumner (Black Rock)
OUT: nil
Coach says: “We’re going okay, we’re exited. We’re starting at the bottom. A lot of people see a lot of transfers to Powelly and they get pretty excited. But the reality is we lost every game by 15 to 20 goals last year. You can have as many recruits as you want but you need system, you need personnel, buy in, a combination of things. We’re willing to put in the hard yards and are looking a bit more at long term sustainability.’’
SEVILLE
Coach: Shaun Wilson
Captain: Jack Nolan
Last year: 13-4 (3rd)
IN: Cooper Colee (Mt Evelyn), Mason O’Neill (Woori Yallock), Trent Davison (Lilydale), Jordan Trollope (Lilydale)
OUT: Chris Niclasen (Silvan)
Coach says: “I think we have the list to compete again. We have added some young guys with pace which we needed.’’
WARBURTON MILLGROVE
Coach: James Iacono
Co-captains: Jack Lee and Nelson Aldridge
Last year: 15-5 (runners-up)
IN: Pat Huynh (Montrose), Jake Upton (Lilydale), Toby Mitchell (returning), Josh Read (Yarra Junction), Kyle Ferguson (Woori Yallock), Tom Campbell (Healesville), Mikey Read (returning), Shannon Noonan (returning)
OUT: Trent Elliott (Kilsyth)
Coach says: “We are just looking to improve as individuals, team and club. We have to because every other team has.’’
YARRA GLEN
Coach: Jason De Graaf
Co-captains: Austin Smith and Sam Wood
Last year: 2-14
IN: Austin Smith (Mooroolbark), Jae MacDonald (Mooroolbark), Ben Ashton (returning), Ryan Smith (returning), Jake Ferris (Healesville), Sheldon Smith (Coldstream), Blake Binion (returning), Trent Russell (Chirnside Park), Brendan James (Mount Evelyn), Simon van der Westhuizen (Croydon North)
OUT: nil
Coach says: “We’ve recruited quite well over the off season. We’ve got quite a few ex Yarra Glen fellas back along with some key recruits. It’s been a long arduous five months. We’re travelling along quite well. We’ll have 12 new faces in the first round.’’
YARRA JUNCTION
Coach: Leigh McCombe
Captain: Cooper Holmes
Vice-captains: Josh Jones and Matt Moreton
Last year: 2-14
IN: Jayden Welch (Melton South), Michael Cramp (East Ringwood), Kyle Delaney (Heathmont), Bailey Phillips (AFL Qld), AJ Druitt (Yarra Glen), Callum Carter (Benalla), Riley Jones (Mt Evelyn), Billy Nutbean (Mt Evelyn), Oscar Moreton (Healesville), Matt Moreton (Healesville)
OUT: Luke Spaulding (Emerald)
Coach says: “I reckon we’ll be good. We’ve trained hard, we’ve put in the work over the off-season. We’ve had great numbers on the track. We’re very young, though...seven of our new players are under 20. I think we’ll give it a red-hot crack.’’
YEA
Coach: Mitch Skelly
Captain: Patrick Evans
Vice-captain: Jack Christie
Last year: 8-8
IN: Jack Rennex (East Brighton), Zac Fawdry (Healesville), Andrew Dowling (Avenel), Riley Alduos (returning), Ash Walsh (Waverley Blues), Jonty Sutherland (Avenel), Zayde Macleod (Longwood), Madison Bell (South Morang), Wade McGrath (East Brighton)
OUT: Harrison Jarvie (Bendigo league), Sam Gregory (Seymour), Lachlan Beattie (Seymour), Josh Buxton (Temptation Island)
Coach says: “In terms of our list we feel pretty similar in terms of talent, however we come into 2025 much fitter and better prepared than 2024. Last year was a great return to senior footy for the club, and has set the foundations of a sustainable future on and off field.’’
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