SFNL: How Doveton plans to bounce back from an ‘uncharacteristic’ defeat

While Doveton hopes it can copy a piece of Southern league history, its coach understands the risk it runs of drifting away from the “massive challenge” ahead.

SFN football: Doveton Doves v East Malvern at Robinson Reserve. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Doveton is avoiding the thought of deja vu.

The Doves went down heavily to Murrumbeena in Saturday’s second semi-final, missing their chance to glide through to the Southern league Division 2 decider.

Doveton knows the premiership can still be won, as what it is hoping to achieve across the next two weeks was done to it in 2022.

The Doves rinsed Chelsea Heights in the second semi but fell to the Dees in the grand final a fortnight later that year.

Nikolas Hibbert. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Coach Matt Stapleton said it was hard for his group not to think about the possibility of achieving that but warned them of the danger of thinking too far ahead.

“Your mind naturally goes there because what you ask of everyone is to be positive,” he said.

“I put it to the group after the game that it was uncharacteristic of us, I don’t need to tell them anything different to that, we all knew that wasn’t how we play footy.

“The mind certainly drifts back to 2022, albeit we have to focus on a game this week and what I certainly wouldn’t want to do is show any disrespect to East Malvern.

“The reality is, there’s a game of footy this weekend and it’s going to be a massive challenge.

“It’s only human instinct for that to drift into your mind but we need to focus on what’s in front of us this weekend.

“If you look too far in advance, it shows you’re not focused on the task.”

William Smith. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The Doves kicked 1.8 in their loss to Murrumbeena after 9.19 in the qualifying final win over East Malvern.

Stapleton is assured the Doves are putting enough of a focus into sharpening up in front of goal.

“We’ve spent a lot of time on it throughout the year and especially over the last couple of weeks, it’s been in our program,” he said.

“We know we need to straighten up in front of goal because sometimes, the way finals footy is played, you only get limited opportunities in front of goal.

“We need to make sure we fix that up but we are certainly working on it.

“It hasn’t been too much of an issue over the course of the year but certainly once you start kicking more points than goal it needs to be more of a focus at training.

“We know we need to tidy up that area of our game but, like anything, it can’t be a click of the fingers so we’re looking to improve on all aspects of our game.”

Matt Stapleton. Picture: Valeriu Campan

East Malvern tackles Doveton in the preliminary final after it overcame Hampton Park in last weekend’s first semi-final.

The penultimate match of the year will be the third time in five weeks the Doves and Panthers meet.

After edging out the Panthers in a tight first final, Stapleton knows the extent of the challenge that awaits his group.

“The sides have seen plenty of each other,” he said.

“They’ve (East Malvern) got some really strong midfielders, a lot of respect goes to them and how they go about it, they’ve got a goal kicker who clearly won the league goal kicking.

“He’s (forward Isaac Morrisby) a really good player, really nice kick of the footy and they’re just a competitive team.

“I think the games we’ve played across the year have been exactly that, highly competitive, it’s going to be a massive challenge – both sides will be desperate.”

Stapleton has re-signed for 2025 but the Doves are on the lookout for a reserves coach.

The Doves’ reserves are also playing in a preliminary final this weekend.