SFNL 2024: Every Division 1 club answers the burning questions
We asked the Southern league Division 1 clubs for their vote on the flag favourites, an opposition player they’d like, the best young player, their take on Narre Warren and much more. See their answers here.
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The business end of the Southern league Division 1 season is fast approaching.
We posed eight topical questions to each of the 10 clubs.
They weren’t allowed to vote in favour of their own club or players and their answers were strictly anonymous.
See where the answers fell ...
Well, the answers are anonymous ... until it’s unanimous.
Cheltenham was forced to show its hand here with the rest of the competition earmarking the Rosellas to defend their Southern league crown.
The vote landed heavily in Cheltenham’s favour for good reason, as it sits undefeated after 11 home-and-away games.
Cheltenham’s Jack Lonie racked up six of the possible nine votes from clubs when asked who would win the Southern league best and fairest.
Lonie hasn’t played every game but when he has played, he’s more often than not been the best player on the ground.
St Paul’s McKinnon superstar Matthew Kreymborg didn’t receive a vote but he is doing his chances of a third league medal no disservice.
Clubs voted for necessity rather than star-power when answering this question.
Jackson Peet and Matthew Kreymborg — both outstanding leaders — share the mantle on this one.
Key-position players such as Kristen Feehan, Sam Hayes and Brayden O’Toole were on the wish list for clubs in need of a boost down the spine.
Dingley’s Zach Horsley wins the approval from his peers by one vote ahead of fellow interleague assistant Kris Thompson.
St Paul’s McKinnon coach Andy Scott is capturing the respect of the competition in his debut season, grabbing two votes and sharing second position.
Horsley split this vote with Cheltenham’s Des Ryan last year.
Cranbourne at Livingston Reserve is a road trip the majority of competition do not want to take.
The Eagles showed their capability on their own patch last weekend by testing the flying Cheltenham.
Cheltenham smooth-mover Sean Lai was deemed the best young player in the competition.
Lai has announced himself as more than just a good young player this year, with one opposition coach declaring “Sean Lai is a problem” after a best-on-ground performance this season.
Sean’s brother Josh impressively earnt a vote despite playing just a handful of senior games.
Off-field seems to be running as well as on-field for Cheltenham this year.
The Rosellas pipped rival Dingley by one vote.
Interestingly, and perhaps the reason they won majority of the votes, neither the Rosellas or Dingoes have fully functioning rooms this season.
Narre Warren gained eight votes for yes but two of them came with a concession.
Two clubs were fully against the Magpies joining the competition in any aspect.
The overwhelming feedback from the clubs who voted yes was: “if they make the competition better, why not?”
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