Southern league: Port Melbourne Colts make stirring rise under Lindsay Gilbee
Almost relegated last year, the Colts are down to the last four in Division 1 of the Southern league, with president Stephen Duvnjak giving much credit to the coaching of former Western Bulldogs star Lindsay Gilbee.
Southern
Don't miss out on the headlines from Southern. Followed categories will be added to My News.
As he reflected on Port Melbourne Colts’ rise this year, president Stephen Duvnjak couldn’t help but recall Round 15 of the 2018 season.
It was a match between Colts and Chelsea Heights. It was also a relegation game.
The Port Melbourne team won by four points — and it came down to a touch on the goal line.
Without that hand from a defender to deny the Heights a goal, the Colts would be in Division 2 this year, not in the last four teams jostling it out for the Division 1 premiership.
“It was our stroke of luck,’’ Duvnjak said.
“They (Chelsea Heights) had a kick after the final siren to win the game. Josh O’Donnell touched it right on the line. It saved us from relegation.’’
Duvnjak added with a laugh: “As long as I’m president Josh O’Donnell won’t have to pay for a drink at Port Melbourne Colts.’’
Reprieved, the Colts have made a stirring rise this season under the coaching of former Western Bulldogs star Lindsay Gilbee and first-year president Duvnjak, 33, a Port Melbourne local who joined the club two years ago.
Gilbee had not long parted ways with St Kilda, where has was an assistant and had coached VFL club Sandringham, when the Colts announced his appointment.
In the weeks that followed the club locked in a good list of recruits, most notably Matt Sondergeld, Lachie Harris, Matthew Dalla-Libera and Chris Deluca.
Duvnjak chuckles at how the Colts came to sign Deluca, a former WAFL star.
“I bumped in to him at a pub and we had a beer together,’’ he said.
“He’d quit footy. I had no idea who he was, not a clue. I said, ‘Mate, come down and have a kick in the ressies’. He came down, loved it and next minute he’s a star of the competition. So we got our marquee player by chance. True story.’’
Duvnjak said Gilbee had done an exceptional job, keeping the Colts in contention as injuries, unavailabilities and suspensions kicked in.
It wasn’t until the final round that his team could confirm its place in the finals.
On Sunday the Colts met reigning premier St Paul’s in the eliminator at Mordialloc, and toughed out a 10-point victory over a team that doesn’t know how to quit.
That man O’Donnell was named best.
“I couldn’t have hoped for a better coach or person to come into our club,’’ Duvnjak said of Gilbee.
“We had to do a rebuild and he could have walked into a lot of clubs with lists ready to go and he would have been perfect for them.
“He didn’t know the club, he’d have to buy into it. But straight away he took charge, took ownership. He attended all the player meetings for recruiting, for retention, planned the whole year. It’s been an adjustment for him, but luckily we’ve had Lee Shiller to help him. Them two working together, they’ve been the perfect duo. Lee doesn’t get much recognition for what he does. But he should.’’
MORE SOUTHERN
CLAYTON SURGES INTO GRAND FINAL
UMPIRE PENALISES TEAM OVER SUPPORT JIBE
Duvnjak said the Colts would have been content to finish “sixth or seventh’’ this year, noting they were way off the pace in 2018.
But the team had hit its stride at the right time “and now we think we’re a dark horse’’.
“We’ve beaten all the sides except East Malvern,’’ he said.
“On our best day we can match it with anybody.’’
The Colts play East Malvern in the first semi-final at Mordialloc this Sunday.
The local footy teams to keep an eye on in 2025
From clubs with massive off-season recruiting drives to those who need to live up to the pressure, these are the local footy teams you need to keep an eye on in 2025.
Named: the biggest local footy recruits of 2025
From Melton to Mornington, Epping to East Brighton, local footy clubs have secured some elite talent. We’ve named the biggest moves of the summer here.