Season preview: Another unpredictable NFL Division 1 season in store
With five different premiers and nine finalists in the past five years, predicting the finishing order of NFL Division 1 is near impossible. We’ve given it a crack anyway in our season preview.
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Five premiers in five years and nine different finalists.
If there’s one thing predictable about Northern Football League Division 1, it’s how unpredictable it can be.
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Who could have forecast North Heidelberg’s rise from Division 2 premier to a preliminary final last year?
Or how an injury-hit West Preston-Lakeside would pick itself off the canvas to clinch its first flag since 2010?
You would be foolish to rule a line through any side in 2019, such is the uncertain nature of the NFL’s top tier.
Promoted Lower Plenty will face a stern examination after only adding a few new faces to the side which prevailed in a last-second thriller against Eltham on Division 2 grand final day last year.
The return of Josh Turner (Doncaster), Sam Paterson and Cam Elmore (injury) will help, but players with Division 1 experience such as skipper Patrick Flynn and on-baller Tom Keys will be pivotal to the Bears’ hopes of consolidation.
Hurstbridge overcame a year of off-field turmoil to survive in Division 1 thanks to a last-round victory over Whittlesea.
Jarrod Tilley has been promoted to the senior coaching role at Ben Frilay Oval and the club has welcomed Jack Furlong (Bundoora), Bailey Jordan (Banyule) and Kye Declase (Montmorency).
Tom and Jack Grimes have moved on to Eastern club Warrandyte, although the Bridges have otherwise retained the nucleus of their senior squad.
Approaching the 40th anniversary of its last Division 1 premiership, Montmorency has turned to flag-winning mentor Garry Ramsay to lead its push for a breakthrough title.
Ramsay has pledged to back youth after crossing from Macleod, where he won a premiership in 2015.
Wingman Jai Robinson (Whittlesea) will add class on the outside, while the return of halfback Billy Jenkin has provided a boost.
Ben Fennell (Greensborough), Luke Collins (Bundoora) and Peter McEvoy (Bundoora) are notable omissions, however McEvoy is unlikely to feature for the Bulls after being named co-captain of VFL club Coburg.
Defender Jake Potter (South Morang) and ruckman Joel McLellan (Panton Hill) are others who have departed.
Northcote Park should fancy its chances of rising back into finals contention after injuries to key personnel cruelled the second half of its 2018 campaign.
Former Sydney rookie Kyle Galloway addresses a key hole in the Cougars’ team as a 209cm ruckman, while key forward Jackson Starcevich has committed full-time.
The increased availability of spearhead Ash Close will provide coach Matt McLennan with enviable depth in attack as Northcote Park looks to rise from eighth back into the top five.
The loss of Gerard Sutton (Preston Bullants) will be offset by WAFL defender Charles Lefanu’s arrival at Bill Lawry Oval.
Heidelberg, the other side which watched finals from the sidelines last season, has signed Collingwood VFL on-baller Jack Blair, the younger brother of AFL premiership player Jarryd.
The Tigers are otherwise expected to continue to back their young talent to prosper after a sixth-placed finish.
Expectations are sky high at Greensborough after the club pulled off one of the recruiting coups of the off-season when it signed ex-Brisbane and Carlton midfielder Tom Bell.
Bell, Fennell, ruckman Liam Read (Riddell) and small forward Damon Marcon (Epping) are quality inclusions who should have the Boro faithful excited about their prospects.
Andrew Sturgess has taken the reins at Bundoora after premiership coach Ricky Dyson accepted an assistant role with Essendon’s VFL team.
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LOWER PLENTY HUNGRY TO PROVE IT BELONGS IN TOP FLIGHT
MONTMORENCY BACKING YOUNG GUNS TO PROSPER
The change has heralded a new era at Yulong Reserve, although the Bulls remain a club that will not settle for anything less than a premiership tilt.
Three-time VFL best and fairest Daniel Venditti (Beaufort) is the marquee addition to Bundoora’s list, while the availability of Luke Collins (Montmorency), Ray Connellan (St Kilda) and McEvoy (Coburg) will be determined by VFL clubs.
Defenders Daniel Guccione and Dale Marshall have joined Collins and fellow Bundoora-aligned player Danny Younan at Essendon VFL after impressive pre-seasons.
AFL games record holder Brent Harvey has taken charge after Jimmy House stepped down at North Heidelberg.
The Bulldogs are likely to see less of key trio Jesse Tardio, Liam Hunt and Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, who have signed for Williamstown.
Western Bulldogs premiership hero Shane Biggs is the big-name arrival at Shelley Reserve, while ex-North Melbourne and Gold Coast on-baller Daniel Harris has signed as a playing assistant coach.
Christian Stagliano has replaced Ramsay at the helm of Macleod, which has added ex-Essendon VFL midfielder Matt Dornauf (Echuca) and former Gold Coast academy players Harry Simington and Brodie Foster as VFL-aligned players.
Ex-Calder Cannons forward Muhammad Saad, ruckman Adam Swierzbiolek and key defender Jack Baker will feature when their VFL commitments at Coburg allow.
The Roos have lost Jack Langford (Banyule) and Ned McKeown (North Albury).
West Preston-Lakeside has re-signed the bulk of its premiership side, however Josh Novelli (Lalor) and ex-AFL forward Patrick Karnezis (retired) have moved on.
Former Adelaide on-baller Matthew Signorello has signed with Port Melbourne but will be aligned with the Roosters, while Nick Kempe (Broadbeach) looms as a player to watch.
While it will have a host of senior players on VFL lists, West Preston-Lakeside has the depth and top-end talent to become the first side since Heidelberg in 2009 to claim successive flags.
PREDICTED LADDER
Greensborough
Macleod
West Preston-Lakeside
Northcote Park
Bundoora
North Heidelberg
Montmorency
Heidelberg
Hurstbridge
Lower Plenty
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